Made for You
by shaunna100
Summary: Bella Swan was enjoying her life working at her dad's bar, until rock-star Edward Masen swooped in and flipped her world upside down. He was handsome, charming, and harboring so much guilt over the death of his best friend that his music was suffering. Could Bella be the muse he was looking for? Or will the life of a rock-star be too much for her to handle?
1. Chapter 1

**Made for You**

 _Bella_

"Are you _sure_ you don't mind closing by yourself tonight?" my dad, Charlie, asked me for what seemed like the hundredth time that night. By the way he was asking, one would think that I had never closed the bar by myself before.

I rolled my eyes playfully, a hint of a smirk on my face, and slammed the cash register shut. Leave it to Charlie to still treat me like a child despite the fact that I'd be turning twenty-two in a few months. I knew he was just protective of me, his only daughter, since my mom died three and half years ago. "Dad, I'm sure. Go out with Sue and have fun. I've done this before, a million times. Besides, it's a Tuesday night - we close at midnight, and I haven't seen anyone since around nine."

I watched Charlie's face drop at my mention of our lack of customers and immediately felt terrible, but he brushed his lips against my temple and I instantly relaxed. Business hadn't exactly been booming during the winter and spring, but we expected it to soon pick up since summer was just around the corner.

"I'll make Rose pick up one of your shifts next week," he promised me. "Your brother said they might stop by on the way home from the movie to make sure everything is on lockdown."

I shook my head as I grabbed a wet rag and started to wipe down the sticky bar top. "Rose and Emmett deserve a night off, too. I'll be fine. Now, _go_."

Charlie grabbed the stack of promotional flyers from behind the bar. "Fine. Just let me help you put these flyers around first - "

I cut him off. "I can do it, Dad. You've been here all day. Go, you don't want to keep Sue waiting."

Charlie narrowed his eyes at me but obliged when I took the flyers from him and practically pushed him towards the back exit.

Charlie had bought the bar and adjacent apartment after my mom unexpectedly passed away in a car accident a week after my eighteenth birthday. It was always a dream of hers to leave dreary Forks and start her own bar business in the city, but Charlie's stable job as the Police Chief of the small town had kept us grounded there. After my mom's death, I think the guilt of following his dreams instead of hers got the better of him, and he took an early retirement. We moved to Seattle and he opened Rebel using his severance money and what little savings they'd had. Charlie had come up with the name, combining mine and my mom's name together. Her name was Renee, and Charlie thought the name _Rebel_ would appeal to the younger generations who were looking for a place to have a good time.

For the first few years that _Rebel_ was open, I only used to help my dad behind the scenes because I wasn't yet twenty-one. My older brother, Emmett, would service the bar while I focused on the paperwork and money counting. Once I was old enough to legally serve the drinks, that became my duty and my brother Emmett was promoted to bouncer. The job fit him well - Emmett was built like a brick house and would immediately be intimidating to those who didn't realize he was actually a big teddy-bear.

Once Charlie was gone and it was just me in the bar, I began the nightly routine of stocking the beer cooler and wiping down all the tables. I was almost done with the last booth, relishing in the quiet and routine of it all, when the bell above the door chimed, signalling we had customers.

I turned, expecting a group of people or at least a couple, but stopped abruptly when a tall, lanky guy stepped into the bar with his hood up.

I automatically expected the worst and began to use the training Charlie had ingrained in our brains for if we ever thought there was a threat. I scanned him up and down before he noticed me, taking in the dark skinny jeans, black hoodie, and red Converse he was wearing. The sleeves of his hoodie were pushed up to his elbows, and I could tell he had two full sleeves of tattoos. I couldn't make them out from my spot at the back of the bar, but I could tell they were vibrantly colourful.

"Can I help you?" I snapped, surprising myself by the authority in my voice. I wasn't going to let on that not being able to see his face was frightening me a little.

He turned abruptly so he was facing me and lowered his hood immediately, as if he realized his mistake. He was wearing a black beanie on the back of his head, with unkempt bronze hair sticking out. He seemed to be only one, maybe two years old than me. I was instantly taken back by how good-looking he was and felt silly for feeling threatened.

He took a quick glance around and adjusted his hat before his eyes landed back on me. "Uh... are you guys open?"

I looked over his shoulder at the clock on the wall, which read eleven-fifteen. "For another forty-five minutes," I answered. I grabbed the rag and bottle of cleaner I was using to disinfect the tables and headed behind the bar. "What can I get you?"

He stuck his hands in his jeans pocket and rocked back and forth on his heels. He seemed uneasy and I wondered why. "Uh, I'm actually just waiting for a friend."

"You order or you get out - house rules." I shrugged, but kept a smirk on my face so he knew that I was only joking. Well, _mostly_ joking. Truthfully, we needed the business, no matter how small. It was the end of May, so our usual university students were busy with exams and tourist season hadn't started yet. We were definitely feeling the effects. Thankfully the university exams were finished on Friday, so we expected good business this weekend, especially with this new house band slated to start.

He grinned, seeming amused by my command to order something, and reached into his back pocket to retrieve his wallet. He took out a twenty-dollar bill and slid it across the bar as he took a seat on the stool. "Three shots of tequila."

" _Three_?" I asked incredulously as I took his money. "The floors are mopped, and I'm not cleaning up your vomit."

He chuckled, revealing his perfectly straight white teeth. Now that we were closer, I could see that his doleful-looking eyes were vibrantly green, and I wondered if he was wearing coloured contacts. "Actually, I was hoping two for me and one for you, Sunshine," he said to me, his eyebrow raised.

"Tequila is my favourite," I told him honestly.

I couldn't help but notice him as he scanned me up and down while I put his money into the register and gave him his change, taking me in wearing my yellow cotton dress with the cowboy boots I got last year when Rose and I took an impromptu trip to Nashville. No doubt the colour of my dress was the inspiration behind his nickname for me.

He smiled mischievously, and I couldn't help but bite my lip as my cheeks blushed crimson.

He was incredibly handsome, but not the usual type that I would go for. _Rebel_ was located on the same side of town as the University, so many of the guys who came into the bar were clean-cut students looking to blow off steam during the weekends. This guy was... mysterious, and I was instantly drawn in by his charm. Once he removed his beanie and shoved it into his pocket, I noticed his earring as it glimmered in the lights above the bar and I could make out another tattoo behind his left ear - a treble clef.

 _Yeah, definitely not like most guys. And definitely not like Jacob._

I turned quickly, hoping he didn't see me bite my lip, and retrieved three shot glasses from the rack. I filled them up to the top with Patron and then pushed two towards him. "Lemon and salt?" I asked him.

He scrunched his face in distaste. "Hello no. What about you? Think you can manage a straight tequila shot?"

"Hell yeah," I told him as I confidently picked up my shot and swallowed it back in one gulp. It burned, but I loved it. I slammed my glass back down on the bar and looked at him with my eyebrow raised. "Your turn."

He took his shots one after another without even making a face, and I was impressed. He downed his shots confidently, not cocky like most other guys.

"So," I said, leaning back and folding my arms over my chest. I didn't know this guy, but I was intrigued by his rugged, bad-boy vibe, and flirting was practically a part of my job as a bartender anyway, much to Charlie's dismay. "Are you new around here? I don't think I've seen you before."

"I just recently relocated here from North Carolina," he told me, shrugging. "Before that I was kind of... everywhere, but now me and a few of my friends have an apartment a couple blocks away."

"Oh, so... you'll be around?" I asked, trying to keep my tone casual. I hoped I didn't sound desperate, but there was a part of me that wanted to get to know this mysterious stranger because he was so different. I reached down and grabbed one of the promotional flyers for our new band, Midnight Sun. Charlie had hired them to play at the bar three nights a week. The flyer consisted of a picture of the band, comprised of four twenty-something year old boys, stood back on as they looked out at an ocean sunset, with the band name and dates they'd be playing. I slid it across the bar to him, and he picked it up and looked at it. "We have a new band playing here this summer, Thursday to Saturday nights. Their first gig is this Saturday. Perhaps you and your friends would like check them out?"

"Are they any good?" he asked. I didn't miss the amused look on his face, but figured it was because he was aware that I was blatantly trying to get him to come back to the bar.

I shrugged, trying to seem indifferent. "I don't know, honestly. I'd never heard of them before my dad booked them to play, but apparently, they're really good. My friend Maggie, she's a bartender here, and she's a huge fan of them."

It was the truth. I'd never heard of Midnight Sun before, but Charlie was old high school friends with the band manager, Carlisle. Charlie had said that he and Carlisle had ran into each other a couple weeks ago while grocery shopping and had got to talking. Charlie was in need of a new house band for the summer since our old band moved to California, and Carlisle was looking for a venue for the band to play at during the summer. When Maggie caught word that Charlie was talking to the band manager, she helped to convince him that it would be a smart move to hire them despite their high price tag. It was a done deal, and things moved quickly. The band was slated to have their first performance this weekend, and Charlie was confident that the band would attract more people to the bar. He said they had a small but loyal fanbase, and was sure their presence would help us to do better business than we had during the winter and spring.

He folded the flyer in half and stuffed it in his pocket. He stuck his hand out, his eyes warm. "I'm E-"

"Bella!"

I'd been so wrapped up in the new stranger that I hadn't even noticed that someone had walked in the front door until James was standing at the bar, looking suspiciously between me and that guy.

"Hey, James," I greeted casually. "The regular?" I was already reaching back for a glass and the Jack Daniels.

James pulled out a stool to sit on, and the mystery guy pushed away from the bar to sit at a booth near the back. I tried to keep the disappointed look off my face, but clearly failed. He probably thought James was my boyfriend.

James was clearly drunk, swaying from side to side. "Who's _that_? Your boyfriend or something?" he asked as he glanced back at the guy, who was now typing out a message on his phone. He had said he was waiting for a friend, but they didn't seem in a rush to meet him since they weren't here yet and we closed soon.

I filled up a small glass with ice and poured in the Jack. That had been James' drink of choice since he started to frequent the bar last year during his first year of U Dub after taking a few years off after high school. We'd innocently flirted back and forth for a little while at the bar, but that was as far as things ever went, despite that fact that James was, in Rose's words, "one of the hottest guys on the planet". I'd long ago decided to keep my personal life and work life separate- and besides, my dad and brother were constantly at the bar, so it wouldn't exactly be easy to sneak away with someone while they were watching, even if I wanted to.

I shook my head, and James let out a breath of relief. "No, he's not my boyfriend, James. I don't have one. He's a paying customer."

"You know that's what I like to hear, beautiful," he said to me as he leaned forward on his elbows, drink in hand. He downed the whole thing while maintaining eye contact, then gestured for me to fill it up again. I did, and put his money plus my tip into the register.

"We close soon, James," I reminded him. I wasn't in the mood for James tonight, mostly because I was still intrigued by the guy sitting at the booth and felt bad that he hadn't finished introducing himself. James had a habit of showing up late and staying past closing time, even after he's been asked to leave. At least I knew Emmett and Rose would probably be stopping by - Emmett never had a problem getting anyone to leave.

The next twenty-five minutes went by relatively quickly. I busied myself with loading the dishwasher and sticking a few of the flyers around while making small-talk with James, but I still couldn't stop my eyes from wandering to the back booth and the stranger sitting there.

At ten minutes to twelve, I told James we were closing.

"One more for the road, then," James slurred. I rolled my eyes playfully before pouring his drink. Again, he downed it quickly, licking his lips when he was finished.

"Let me help you get a cab."

I walked around the bar and linked my arm with James', trying to help him up off the stool so I could get him out of the bar. He grinned wickedly at me before grabbing my arm and pulling me into him so I was nestled in-between his legs. I crashed into his chest with a huff, and suddenly his voice was in my ear.

"You know, with all the money and time I've spent here this year, one would think I deserve a little reward." He moved his hands to my hips, locking me in place, as he put his face in the crook of my neck. I put my hands on his chest and tried to push him away, but his grip on me was tight.

"James," I said sweetly, trying to diffuse the situation without causing a scene. "Come on now, knock it off. I'm working, and you're drunk." It seemed like James was so wrapped up in whatever little fantasy he was envisioning going on between us that he forgot about the other guy sitting in the back.

He lifted his head to look at me. "Come on, Bella, we've been flirting for months. I'm sure I've spent thousands of dollars in this place."

"No one asked you to do that. And just because I flirted with you doesn't mean I want to fuck you."

"Oh, stop being a fucking cock tease," he growled, dropping a hand from my hip so he could grab my arm. I'd known James to have a bit of a temper, especially drunk, but he'd never gotten physical like this before.

I glanced over at the stranger in the booth, wondering how much of this interaction he had witnessed. He kept looking up at me from his phone with those piercing green eyes, almost as if he were silently asking me if I was alright. I ducked my head and used my hair as a shield from his gaze, not wanting him to see the tears gathering in my eyes as I continued to try and push myself away from James. I wasn't physically hurt, just mostly embarrassed. I could usually hold my own, but at that moment it was proving to be very difficult.

Finally, I'd had enough of being gentle. "James, fucking let me go!" I pushed him off me with all my might, not holding back this time, and his grip on me was disconnected instantly.

James suddenly fell back when a fist collided with his face. I took a giant step back, surprised to see the mystery guy from earlier shaking out his fist as James got to his feet.

"Fuck!" James' hand flew to his nose, and when he lowered it I could see it was full of bright red blood. "Man, what the fuck is your prob-"

I cut him off, my words sharp. "Just go, James."

"Bella…" He tried to take a step towards me, but the other guy put his arm up, blocking him.

"Don't make her tell you again. Get the fuck out of this bar." He spoke through clenched teeth, and had his other fist balled up at his side. The sadness I'd noticed earlier in his eyes had been replaced by fury.

James stumbled out of the bar, holding his nose and cursing under his breath. When it was just the mystery guy and I left, an awkward silence fell among us.

"He won't be coming back here," the stranger said matter-of-factly.

"You didn't have to do that. I can take care of myself," I told him.

"Oh yeah? Didn't look like it from where I was sitting."

I think he might have meant it as a joke, but I was instantly furious. I narrowed my brows at him and pointed to the door. "I'm closing now. You're going to have to tell your friend to meet you elsewhere. There's a twenty-four-hour cafe just down the block."

I stalked behind the bar and picked up my rag, angrily wiping down the Jack that James had spilled on the bar. The other guy just stood where I'd left him, staring at me.

"Well," I said incredulously. " _Go_."

He nodded once, clearly now taking me seriously, and walked out the front door.

—

It had taken me another thirty-five minutes to count the cash in the register, lock it in the safe, and finish the cleaning. It was nearing twelve-thirty by the time I was headed out to lock the front door and set the alarm, and I was exhausted.

We had a staircase to the apartment in our supply room, but I usually used our side door when I was closing and had to set the alarm and lock the front door anyway. I typed in our security code and pushed open the door, stepping out into the warm Seattle breeze.

I turned and nearly screamed when I saw the stranger from earlier leaning on the door of a sleek-looking black Audi RS5, smoking a cigarette. He chuckled when I jumped.

"Jesus," I muttered, putting my hand on my chest. "What the hell are you doing out here? I thought you were meeting up with a friend. Have you been out here this entire time?"

He nodded, and flicked the nub of his cigarette on the ground, stomping it out with his foot. "Plans fell through. I...um, I thought maybe I could walk you to your car to make sure you got there okay. You know, with that guy and everything. I thought maybe he might wait around for you."

"I thought I told you I could take care of myself." Despite the fact that I was being headstrong and stubborn, I couldn't deny that it was sweet that this stranger would wait around so long just to make sure I was safe.

He laughed boisterously this time, and I couldn't deny that it was a beautiful sound. He had a gorgeous smile, too, especially when it reached all the way up to his ears.

"Besides," I continued, "I don't have a car. My dad owns the bar, and we live in the apartment upstairs. You're out of luck."

"Or maybe I'm in it?" he said with a smirk. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of Marlboro Reds. For a moment I thought he was going to offer me a cigarette, but instead he pulled out a perfectly rolled joint and held it in front of me. "What do you say, Bella? Peace offering?"

I plucked the joint from his hand using two fingers and then crossed my arms over my chest. "Under one condition," I told him, and he nodded eagerly. "I don't think it's very fair that you know my name and I don't know yours."

He smirked before handing me his lighter. I lit the joint and inhaled, letting the sweet smoke fill my lungs.

"My name's E-"

"Bells?"

I jumped at the sound of my brothers bellowing voice and turned to see Emmett and Rosalie walking down the sidewalk towards us, hand in hand.

When I turned back to the stranger, he had the door to his Audi open, one leg already inside.

"Hey, what about your peace offering?" I called out, holding up the lit joint.

He shot me a dazzling smile. "I guess I'll have to make it up to you then," he said smoothly, shrugging his shoulders. He tapped the hood of his car once. "I'll see you around, Bella."

He got in the car and it roared to life. I watched as he drove away, his taillights disappearing up the street and around a corner and wished that I'd said something, anything, to make him stay and talk.

I just stared at the spot where his car was just parked, dazed, until Emmett and Rose finally made it to where I was standing.

"Who was _that_ guy?" Emmett asked as he let go of Rose's hand to sling his arm around my shoulders. "Was he giving you a hard time? Do I have to hunt him down and kick his ass?"

I shook my head and put the joint to my mouth for another haul before Rose snatched it from my lips and stuck it between hers. "I don't know who he is..." I told him after I blew out the smoke.

 _But I want to._

 **A/N: Here is the first chapter of my new story, Made for You. I've been planning this story for a long time, and I hope you guys enjoy the wild ride this Bella and Edward are about to embark on. I have to thank my friend jansails for all her help, and for always be willing to pre-read and give me feedback. This story wouldn't be possible without her!**

 **This story is rated MA for mature audiences (18+) due to the mature adult content. I want this to be different from anything I've written before. That being said, I want to give a disclaimer to anyone reading that this story** ** _may_** **include sensitive topics such as: sex, sexual assault, the use of drugs and drug paraphernalia, abuse, etcetera. Although I have a general outline planned, sometimes my imagination takes over and I fly by the seat of pants, so I just want to make sure the disclaimer is out there so I don't offend anybody. I don't like to offer warnings at the beginning of each individual chapter as I feel it ruins the story.**

 **I hope you enjoy! Please let me know what you think in the reviews!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Made for You**

 _Bella_

"So, who exactly _was_ that guy last night at closing? I figured you didn't want to say anything in front of Emmett, but I'm your best friend, Bella. You know you can tell me anything." Rose was perched on the bar an hour from opening on Wednesday, watching as I loaded up the dishwasher. Her long blonde hair was braided to the side, and she was wearing her favourite outfit combination, a high-waisted skirt and crop top. As usual, she was effortlessly beautiful.

I sighed as I slammed the dishwasher shut and turned it on. I leaned against the counter with one hand, using the back of the other to wipe the sweat from my forehead. "I don't know who he is, Rose. He was just some guy. James came in and... well, you know how James can get when he's drunk. This time he got a little... too close for comfort. That guy... he punched him in the face, and then he waited outside to make sure I got home okay. He obviously didn't know that I lived upstairs. I didn't even get his name." I wasn't in the mood for Rose's barrage of questions, mostly because it was frustrating me that I didn't have the answers. Truthfully, the strange, mysterious guy from last night had been all I'd managed to think about since and it was frustrating me beyond belief. He'd left so quickly, without warning, and I didn't know if I'd ever see him again. That thought, for some unknown reason, was a little unsettling to me.

"That's so _sweet_ ," Rose swooned, fanning herself with her perfectly manicured fingers. "Too bad you didn't get his name. I didn't even get a good look at him, but he was still hot as fuck from a distance. Maybe he'll come back to the bar?"

I shrugged, trying to seem indifferent, although I was hoping that would be the case, too. I didn't tell Rose that I'd invited him and his friends to come and watch Midnight Sun play this Saturday, because I'd die with embarrassment if they didn't show up. I simply said, "Maybe," followed a few moments later by, "He said he was waiting for someone, so he probably has a girlfriend or something."

"Guys with girlfriends don't just wait around for forty-five minutes after a place closes to make sure some girl gets home in one piece." Her tone is matter-of-fact. "And he shared a joint with you!"

Okay, _maybe_ she had a point. He had waited a long time for me to finish up at the bar, but after that stunt James pulled, any decent human being would want to make sure I was okay. Just... probably not everyone would wait around as long as he had, especially if he had plans with someone else. I felt like I was reading too much into our silly little interaction, but it was fun to think that mysterious, amazingly good-looking guy was interested in me. I'd figured I'd probably never see him again.

"Lots of people smoke weed, Rose...you included," I countered, taking my rag to dust the bottles at the bar. They weren't dirty by any means, not even a little dusty, but everything else was spotless and I needed to keep myself busy to stop from thinking about that guy's piercing emerald green eyes and the kaleidoscope of colours that branded both his arms. Where Jacob was clean-cut, smooth, the perfect all-American boy - at least, that's what I'd thought – this guy seemed like the opposite. He seemed like the night to Jacob's day – dark, rugged, a little unnerving. Maybe that was why I was so inexplicably drawn to him, unable to shake him, because he was the exact opposite of who I was trying so hard to forget.

"Yes, but not a lot of people go around smoking their weed with complete strangers. You don't see me lighting up with just any Joe Blow."

"You have Emmett," I stated as I picked up the bottle of Patron and started to wipe it down. I remembered picking up the same bottle the night before, pouring three shots.

Rose winked at me, swinging her legs on the bar like a little girl on a swing. "My point _exactly_."

Rose loved to live vicariously through me when it came to boys, especially since Jake and I broke up. Rose was the first friend I'd made when we made the move from Forks to Seattle, when she and a couple of her friends had come to dance at the bar. Charlie had busted their fake IDs and kicked them out. She was waiting on the curb for a cab when Emmett and I sneaked out to smoke a joint. Rose and I hit it off immediately, and the rest was pretty much history. She lived in a beautiful brownstone townhouse just a few blocks from the bar – courtesy of her rich dad who was always looking to one-up her mom since their divorce. She didn't really need the job at the bar that Charlie offered her when she turned twenty-one, but she accepted. At the time, I thought it was so that she and I could spend more time together, but it turned out she wanted to spend more time with my brother. Go figure. But Rose and Emmett were practically a match made in heaven, and I rarely felt like a third wheel when I was with them.

I picked up a rag and tossed it to her, rolling my eyes. "Get to work, Rose," I told her with a giggle, shaking my head.

—

On Friday, Rose found me in my bedroom as I was taking a nap before my plans to head downstairs to work. This was supposed to be my Friday off, but with the university finished exams and tourist season finally beginning since it was now the beginning of June, I figured I'd better get to work to give Charlie and the crew a hand, on what was no doubt going to be a busy night.

"What the hell are you doing in bed? You should be getting ready to go out!"

I groaned, raking my hands down my face. My bed was so comfortable, and I didn't want to move until I absolutely had to. I glanced at the clock on my phone – it was a little after nine p.m. I'd forgotten all about the plans to go to the nightclub, _Bend_ , and have a few drinks with Rosalie, Emmett, and our friend Leah. She had quit her short position as a bartender last August so she could start her first year of nursing school at U Dub. It would be nice to go out, but I was sure my dad would need me downstairs.

"The bar is going to be packed tonight. I figured I'd stay and help them out," I explained as I sat up on my elbows, wiping the sleep out of my eyes, letting them adjust to the light Rose had so rudely turned on.

Rose shook her head and walked over to me, pulling me up by my arm with an unnecessary amount of force until I was on my two feet. "Get your ass up and get in the shower. This is our Friday off – Charlie promised us! Maggie and Bree will have the bar under control, and Sam's gonna be bouncing. Sue and your dad are working, so I'm sure they'll manage just fine without you for a night."

"But - "

The sound of my dad's voice cut me off. When I looked up, he was standing in the doorway with a stack of neon orange papers in his hand. He must have caught what Rose was telling me, because he said, "Rose is right, Bells. This is your night off, and you deserve to go out and have some fun. Well, not _too_ much fun, but fun." He chuckled at his own joke, and Rose put her hands on her hips, giving me a smug _I told you so_ smile. When I looked back to Charlie, he held up the papers sheepishly. "Uh... sorry for not calling before I came up. I just wanted to use the printer to print off more of these flyers for Midnight Sun. Ya know, to give out tonight."

I shrugged. "It's okay. I was napping," I told him honestly, and he nodded before letting himself out the door that led to the supply room.

Charlie had been spending a lot of time at Sue's since they got together after we hired her early last year; so much time, in fact, I couldn't even remember the last time Charlie had spent the night here. We had let our original assistant manager go for stealing from the safe, and Sue had a degree in business but wasn't happy with her boring nine-to-five office job. After her husband died of a sudden heart attack, she knew she needed a change in her life, and applied for the position at _Rebel_. Charlie had hired her right away because of her amazing credentials, and the two of them really hit it off from the get-go. I think it had something to do with the fact that they'd both lost someone they loved dearly. It wasn't long before the two of them began dating. At first, I'd hated to see Charlie with anyone other than my mom, but I realized that his happiness was important, and Sue definitely made him happy. So, him being gone most of the time left this little apartment all to myself, even though Charlie technically still had a room here. He'd started to call before just showing up here back when I was with Jacob, and he had stopped by unexpectedly when Jake and I were in a, uh, _compromising_ situation. But Jake and I were no longer together, and it wasn't usually like me to take random guys home, so I didn't see the big deal. _Come on in, Dad._

"Okay, you heard the boss! Go!" Rose grabbed me by my shoulders and pushed me out of the bedroom door backwards, grabbing my robe from my desk chair and thrusting it into my arms as she did so. "I'm going downstairs to hangout for a little bit, and I'm calling an Uber in thirty minutes. Be ready, Swan!"

—

Sure enough, Rose was sat at the bar booking an Uber when I walked downstairs, exactly thirty minutes later. Emmett was stood next to her, a hand placed protectively around her waist as usual. She smiled approvingly when she saw me, and Emmett let go of her to wrap me in a one-armed bear hug. I glanced around the bar; it was busy enough considering it was still early, with most of the tables occupied, and there was a decent crowd around the bar, although not as many as we'd like. Charlie and Sue were mingling with the customers while Maggie and Bree served drinks at record speed, and Sam was positioned by the door, his face cold and stern-looking as usual. He nodded at me once, and I shot him a smile. _He takes this job way too damn serious_. But he's good at it. I've watched him throw out two rowdy customers at the same time, a hand on each of their necks. They hadn't been back since.

"Bella, you look _amazing_. I told you that dress would do amazing things for your body," Rose gushed as she pulled out the stool next to her so I could sit. I sat down, smoothing out the short, black body-con dress that Rose had picked out for me during our last shopping excursion. It wasn't exactly my style – a little _too_ short, and a little _too_ revealing – but it hugged me in all the right places and I felt confident wearing it. I paired it with my favourite black sandals. I'd kept my makeup to a minimum, as usual.

"Less is more," Renee would tell me while I was getting ready to school in the mornings. She'd come behind me as I was doing my makeup in the vanity and push my long, dark hair to the side. She'd find my eyes through the mirror, and she was always smiling. "You're beautiful without all this garbage, Bella. I don't ever want you to think you need it." I remember rolling my eyes at her, being the rebellious teen that I was, as I continued to paint my face with as much foundation and blush as I could. It wasn't until she was gone and I grew up a little that I realized she was right, and since then I've stuck to a little tinted moisturizer, mascara, and a hint of peach blush. No more blue eyeshadow and heavily lined eyes.

Suddenly, Rose's voice broke me from my reverie. "Leah just texted and said she's almost here, and our Uber is ten minutes out. Just enough time for a drink before we go!"

Rose lifted her hand, singling to Maggie that she wanted to be served. When Maggie was done serving the customer, she walked over to the far right of the bar where we were sitting and flicked her long red hair over her shoulder. "Hey, you guys! You all look great. The usual?"

Rose nodded and slipped her a twenty-dollar bill, despite Charlie always telling us we could drink on the house. Rose just loved to spend her dad's money. Maggie was quick to get our order. She placed my shot of tequila, Rose's vodka and orange juice and Emmett's beer in front of us and quickly got back to serving the rest of the customers. I was brought back to Tuesday night as soon as my eyes landed on the small shot glass of Patron, and the intriguing stranger who had bought me the exact same thing three nights ago. I picked up the shot and downed it back exactly as I had that night, conjuring up the image in my mind of his impressed smirk as he watched me down the whole thing.

I didn't know why I couldn't shake him from my thoughts. I mean, I barely knew the guy, aside from the few facts he'd chosen to divulge to me during our short encounter. I didn't even have his first name. All I knew was that he had just moved here from North Carolina and lived in an apartment complex with his friends, and that he smoked weed and drove an incredibly expensive car considering he was twenty-three, maybe twenty-four years old. Maybe it was the mystery that surrounded him that had me so intrigued, or maybe it was his incredible good looks that would be hard to ignore, even if I'd tried. He had to be the most beautiful guy I'd ever seen, and Jacob was pretty hot. If I'm being completely honest, I'd wanted to come to work tonight with hopes that Mystery Guy and his friends would venture to the bar and I'd get to learn more about him, or at the very least get to admire him again. I'd worked every single night since Tuesday, hoping to catch him, but he never showed up. I was beginning to feel dejected, and stupid for even feeling so.

Tonight, I'd push those thoughts to the back of my mind and have fun with my friends.

When Leah arrived just as we were finishing our drinks, she greeted us all with a warm hug and then we jumped into our Uber and headed towards the club. We all took turns sipping from the sleek silver flask Emmett had tucked inside his jeans, some kind of disgusting rum. It took everything in me not to gag on it as I sipped.

The nightclub, _Bend_ , was about twenty blocks away and was absolutely rocking by the time we got there, just after ten p.m. The lineup to get in was almost wrapped around the building. The energy emitting from the people waiting in line was almost palpable, and my mouth watered for another shot of tequila. Rose and Charlie were right, I _did_ need a good night out with my friends. It had been over a month since I'd gone out.

"Fucking _great_ ," Emmett groaned once he was out of the Uber, throwing his arms up above his head as we all clobbered out behind him. "We're gonna have to wait to get in! That line is fucking huge."

Rosalie playfully slapped his chest. "Oh, give it up! Look how fast it's moving! Stop being a baby and come on." She grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the building, me and Leah a few steps behind. _Damn, Rose can walk fast even in Stilettos._

Sure enough, the lineup was moving at a steady rate, although not as fast as I would have liked. I was glad Leah could join us tonight, because the thought of having to watch Rose and my brother grind on each other all night was making me nauseous. They were pretty good with keeping the PDA to a minimum while sober, but I knew that once the drinks got flowing there would be nothing stopping their groping and grinding.

We were in line, patiently waiting our turn to get in. Despite it now being June, a summer month in my books, the air was crisp and chilly, and it seemed like it would downpour at any minute. I wrapped my arms around myself and hobbled from one foot to the other to keep warm. If Jake were here, he would have chastised me for not bringing a jacket. But Jake wasn't here, hadn't been for some time now. It frustrated me that he still managed to slip so easily into my everyday thoughts, despite how hard I'd tried to kick him from my memory.

I'd get over Jake someday, that much I knew. But I would never forget the circumstances surrounding the end of our relationship. I couldn't.

As soon as the bouncer had checked our IDs and allowed us access into the club, we made a beeline for the bar. We were served quickly despite the crowded bar, no doubt due to our less than modest outfits and Emmett's ability to look rather rugged and threatening. I got another shot of tequila, loving the way it burned as it travelled down my throat. The second shot was always the hardest to stomach, and I could feel alcohol start to heat up my face as it coursed through my blood. I loved it, the heat, the burn, the rush. I ordered a tequila sunrise to sip on.

We stayed at the bar for a moment, awkwardly scanning the club to try and steak out a spot for us to go. Emmett waved to someone across the bar, and then leaned down to kiss Rose's hair. He had to practically yell to be heard. "I'm gonna go over and say hi to Embry. You guys go dance, and I'll find you in a few."

Rose nodded, sipping her screwdriver, and kissed Emmett before he went to his friend. I loved Rose's and Emmett's relationship. Their mutual respect and love for each other was desirable, to say the least. I'm sure they'd swim across oceans for each other.

"So, Leah, how's nursing school?" I questioned. I hated that we practically had to scream at each other.

Leah dropped her knees a little, exasperated. " _Exhausting_ , but so worth it. I got to scrub in and witness a cholecystectomy during my last clinical, just before finals. It was a pretty cool experience for my first year."

"What the hell is that?" Rose asked as she stirred her drink with her straw.

Leah looked at Rose like she couldn't believe Rose hadn't known what the medical term meant. But I mean, hell, the only reason I knew was because my mom had the same surgery when I was in the seventh grade. "Gallbladder removal surgery."

Rose scrunched her nose. "Gross."

Leah pointed to the very back of the club. "Hey, look, a free booth! Come on." Leah weaved through the crowd towards a booth that had just cleared in the very back. There were a few empty bottles and glasses on the table, but we just moved them to the side and got comfortable.

The music was booming in the background, upbeat, slightly techno, but not as deafening back here. Definitely dance music, but I wasn't near drunk enough to make my way to the dance floor yet. I could tell Rose was dying to get out and let loose; she kept bouncing her knee under the table and strumming her fingers along the tabletop. We sipped our drinks, waiting for the alcohol to really kick in. I already felt dizzy from the booze we sneaked in the Uber, and that second shot of tequila was making itself known.

Suddenly, a bartender came to our table with three shots and two slices of lemon on a small tray. She laid them down in front of us, one by one, ignoring our confused expressions.

I waved my fingers above the shots. "Um, we didn't order these." It was me that spoke up first.

"No, that lovely gentleman over there bought these for you," she told us as she turned around, pointing her finger at no one in-particular. She lowered her hand quickly, her brow furrowed. "Oh... he was just there a few seconds ago."

I grabbed my shot and sniffed it. I really didn't want to endure any more rum, because that shit made me sick as all hell. I inhaled deep, and my mouth watered.

 _Tequila_. Just like I'd suspected.

"Well, tell him we said thanks if you see him again," Rose said to the bartender as she reached out and grabbed a shot. When the bartender was gone, she picked up the salt shaker from the end of the table, licked her hand, and sprinkled some of the salt onto the wetness. She licked the salt off before throwing back the tequila and sucking the lemon into her mouth. Her eyes watered and her face contorted, either from the sourness or the taste of the booze. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "God damn," she muttered, sticking out her tongue and shaking her head.

"Rosalie! We can't take drinks from strangers. They could be _drugged_ for all we know," Leah said, eyes wide. I couldn't help but laugh at her. While Rose was outgoing and wild, Leah was a little more relaxed and easy-going. I fell somewhere in between the two of them, not quite the life of the party but also not a wallflower, either.

I laughed at her and then sent my shot down my throat, sans lemon or salt.

"We can and we will. Come on, Leah, don't be a wimp. The bartender poured these herself, he just paid for them. Did you learn nothing from your time at _Rebel_? Drink up, and then we're dancing!" She slid a shot glass Leah's direction, grinning. I could tell she was drunk, or at least tipsy, by the bloodshot look in her eyes, and it reminded me that I wanted to smoke a joint. I'm sure Emmett had some on hand – he was always prepared in the marijuana department, although he'd have to quit smoking if he wanted to be a police officer like Dad had been.

Leah did the same with her shot, bringing the glass to her nose to inspect the contents inside. She quickly set the glass back down and shook her head, mouth pursed, the contents never having made it to her lips. "Oh, fuck no, I can't do tequila. Not since I got super sick the last time I drank it, at that party Jacob threw last -"

Rose kicked her under the table, her eyes jutting out of her head. The untouched tequila shot spilled over, it's contents spreading across the oak. Leah looked at me sheepishly, sorry written all over her face. My stomach knotted, and suddenly it seemed like the buzz I was working on had completely gone away. I just picked up a napkin and wiped up the liquid, avoiding their pitiful looks.

"Shit, sorry," she mumbled, ducking her head. I knew she wasn't apologizing for the spilled booze. "It just slipped out, Bella."

I gulped and forced a smile from my lips. "It's fine. I'm over him." _Him_. I was over _him_. But just one mention of his name, and I was more than aware of the one aspect of our relationship that I was _not_ over.

When the song changed from a techno beat to a remixed Hot 100 hit, Rose jumped up excitedly and grabbed our hands, pulling us towards the dance floor. "Come on! This is my favourite song!"

We were getting closer to the crowd of people brave enough or drunk enough to be dancing, and the music was getting louder the closer we got to the huge sound system. My stomach still had that weird knot, so I knew that I needed another drink before I'd be comfortable enough on the dance floor.

"I'm gonna go get another drink," I yelled over the music, which was loud and thumping and so not my cup of tea. Rose's face fell, and I knew she thought I was going to ditch. "I'll be right back," I promised, and she nodded before dragging Leah to go dance.

The bar was even more crowded than before, and it was proving to be difficult to be served. I waved my twenty in front of my face a few times to try and catch the attention of one of the bartenders, even though I hated it when customers did that to me, but still had no luck. The bartenders were busy serving and flirting with what looked like a group of college frat brothers, and the male bartender who had served us so quickly earlier was nowhere to be seen.

I rolled my eyes and shoved my money into my bra. I turned abruptly on my heel, annoyed, and smacked right into the person standing behind me. They put their hands on my upper arms, steadying me.

A low, deep chuckle. "Hello there, Sunshine."

 **A/N: Here is chapter two! A big thanks again to my friend jansails! So sorry for the extremely long wait. I had written most of the first chapter in Edward's point of view before I decided I wanted to keep going with Bella's perspective, to keep Edward a mystery for a bit. What do you guys think? Do you want to see an EPOV? Let me know what you think in the reviews!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Made for You**

 _Bella_

I just stood there gaping at him, stunned like a deer in headlights, until he dropped his hands from my arms. There, standing in front of me, was the same guy from Tuesday night at my dad's bar. He smirked as he looked at me, the left corner of his mouth raising just slightly into a crooked smile, and suddenly the buzz I'd thought was lost had come back full force.

"What are you doing here?" I managed to choke out.

"Last I checked, America is a free country." He must have caught my glare, because he put his two hands up and quickly said, "I saw a friend struggling to get a drink, so I thought I'd offer my assistance."

I rolled my eyes as I crossed my arms over my chest. "Well, good luck with that, because it's nearly impossible to get served."

"We'll see about that."

He snaked his right hand around my waist and turned me so I was facing the bar again. His free hand resting on the top of the bar held a crisp twenty-dollar bill.

The bartender, who was paying no mind to me before, was suddenly directly in front of us in an instant, her eyes locked on the stranger at my side. I could practically see the drool oozing from her mouth as she ogled him, not that I could blame her, because he was absolutely breathtakingly beautiful. He must have known just how attractive he was, and what kind of effect he clearly had on woman – myself included. I was struggling to think about something other than his fingers on my hips, squeezing. It was all I could focus on.

 _Breath, Bella. In and out._

I knew I should say something else, anything, but my mouth was dry. I still couldn't believe he was standing next to me, his hand burning a hole through the fabric of my dress. Maybe it was the booze or the surprise of seeing him again, but my heart was beating hard and rapid inside my chest and I could feel my cheeks flush, pink and hot.

"What can I get for you, dollface?" the bartender purred, leaning forward on her elbows so he cleavage was spilling out of her blank tank top. She looked at him from under her lashes and licked her painted red lips.

"Tequila. Two shots." He held up two fingers on the hand that was holding the money. His eyes didn't leave hers, which was rather impressive considering her tits were practically on display in front of him. He was either totally oblivious to the flirting or so used to it that he choose to ignore it. "Skip the lemon and salt, please, and you can keep the change."

I bit my lip. Here this perfect stranger knew my drink order to a T, and I didn't even know his first name.

She plucked the bill from his grasp with two fingers and sat upright again, blatantly adjusting her tits in her bra. "Be right back, handsome," she cooed again. Jesus, how many nicknames was she going to give him? She turned and walked away to pour our shots, swaying her hips dramatically with every step she took. It took everything in me not to roll my eyes at her obvious display.

He was looking at me now, that much I could tell, even though my eyes were still trained on the woman who had just served us. Or served _him_ , I should say. She completely ignored me before he was standing here, and even then, her attention had been on him and him only. Talk about quality customer service.

When I finally turned to look at him and really take him in, he looked even more delectable than he had on Tuesday night, if that were even possible. I took in every square inch of him. He was wearing a white V-neck shirt with a pair of Ray Bans hung around the neck, and ripped black skinny jeans. My original impression of him being lanky was _way_ off. I mean, he _was_ tall, definitely over six feet, but his arms were muscular, his biceps stretching the cotton of his T-shirt. I could tell his tattoos travelled all the way up both arms and across his chest; I could see a black and white pattern poking out from the neck of his shirt, I just couldn't tell what it was. On his feet were the same red Converse he had worn three nights ago.

"No yellow dress tonight, Sunshine?" He was leaning towards me, talking into my ear. I could smell him; he smelled like an expensive cologne mixed with a little weed smoke and hot cinnamon. He'd been drinking Fireball whisky – I'd know that signature scent anywhere.

"Believe it or not, I have more than just that one dress in my closet," I told him, leaning into him like he had done to me so he could hear me over the music.

He scrunched the material of my dress with his fingertips, and for a moment his bright green eyes darkened. "This dress..." He let go, dropping his hand from my side, and I suddenly felt very cold. "It's dangerous, Bella."

I'd never been more grateful for Rose's ability to dress me. "Is it?" I teased, angling my body to give him a better look. I didn't miss his eyes scanning me from head to toe again.

He nodded once and ran his tongue across his bottom lip. "Very."

He was drunk, or buzzed at the very least, but hell, so was I. Those shots and that drink seemed to have sneaked up on me fast, or maybe that was him doing that to me. I had that feeling coursing through my body like I was in a dream, some kind of alternate reality that I would snap out of any minute. My mind felt fuzzy yet clear all at the same time.

The bartender put the shots down in front of us, but was quickly pulled in another direction before she got the chance to say anything else. I was thankful because watching her strut her stuff in front of him was churning my stomach. As a bartender myself, I understood how to be _just_ flirty and _just_ sexy enough to keep the men spending their cash, but there was no need to put your goods on display for everyone to see. Sheesh.

Mystery Guy picked up the two shots and handed me one. Thankfully, I knew how to hold my liquor; I'm sure any other girls would have either passed out or puked after drinking as much as I had so far.

"You don't have to buy my drinks," I told him, putting the shot to my mouth and guzzling it back just as he did the same. I licked my lips, loving the taste, my eyes never leaving his piercing green ones. He didn't have to buy my drinks, but who was I to boss this guy around?

He took my empty shot glass and his and laid them on the bar. "I don't mind. Third times a charm."

"Third time?"

Then it hit me. The three shots of tequila and the _two_ slices of lemon that were sent to our booth. I should have known right then that they were sent by someone who knew exactly what I liked. I mean, how many women like their tequila straight up? Not many, from my experience. I chalked up my strong stomach to binge-drinking with the guys from the reservation as a teenager; they didn't hold back on the liquor, and there was rarely a lemon in sight.

"Are you stalking me?" The words came out before I could get the chance to reign them in from the tip of my tongue. _God damn alcohol!_

"I'm not stalking you. I just happen to show up wherever you are."

"Sounds a lot like stalking to me." I kept my tone playful, flirty even. He seemed to like it because he tilted his body even closer towards me.

He chuckled, shaking his head. Some of his tousled auburn hair fell in front of his eyes and he raked it back with his long fingers. I wanted to reach out and run my fingers through it – it looked so silky, so soft – but I stopped myself.

"Stalking, divine intervention...whatever you want to call it. I happen to call it pure luck."

" _I_ want to call it stalking," I said, although most of my brain was screaming that it was the latter. What were the chances that I'd run into Mystery Guy yet again, at a completely different location? _Crap, I'm starting to sound like Rose!_

"We can call it whatever the hell you like, Sunshine," he said smoothly as he reached up and trailed a single finger from my bare shoulder to my elbow, making me shiver under his touch. I had to take a deep breath to steady myself so I could speak again.

"Speaking of which...what do I call _you_? This is the second time we've met, and I still don't know your first name."

I saw something flash across his face, maybe fear or reluctance, and he grimaced a little, hesitating. I didn't know what the big deal was about telling someone your first name. Isn't that just common courtesy nowadays?

Just when I thought he was going to ignore the topic altogether, he spoke, his voice soft. "I'm sorry I didn't get the chance to properly introduce myself the other night. I'm Edward Masen."

 _Edward._

 _Edward Masen._

It was old-fashioned, that's for sure, but I couldn't deny that the designation fit him perfectly. I wondered if he was named after a family member or if his mom just liked older names. Either way, it was sexy as hell.

I stuck out my hand and he shook it, chuckling at my sudden formality, those pearly white teeth on display again. His smile was panty-dropping in itself, but his husky voice was the icing on the cake.

"Well then, _Edward_ , it's nice to meet you... again. I'm Bella Swan, but you knew that already." I shot him a playful wink.

"Swan...like the bird?" He was smirking at me, his dark brow raised.

I threw my head back, unable to hold back the laughter at his stupid joke. I'd heard that one since kindergarten, but I'd be willing to hear it countless more times if it came from his lips. "Yeah," I laughed. "Just like the bird."

He smiled at me again, and I had to clench my thighs together to alleviate some of the fire burning there.

It was then another bartender approached us, this time a tall blonde with an obvious orange spray tan and huge fake boobs. She was pretty, but in a totally fake, plastic kind of way. She reached across the bar and raked her fingernails down Edward's forearm as she spoke. "Can I get you anything from the bar?" Not for one second did her eyes flicker towards me.

Edward nervously chuckled, shooting me an apologetic look before turning his attention back to the bimbo in front of us. "I think we're good now, thanks."

"Okay, well let me know if you need _anything_ ," she purred before walking to the other end of the bar to serve someone else. I didn't miss the double meaning behind her words, and I doubt Edward did either. He looked at me sheepishly and ran his hand through his hair, shrugging.

"Does that happen a lot?" I asked, although I knew the answer would be yes. He seemed like a charmer, someone who knew what they wanted from women and took it. Not to mention he was drop-dead gorgeous and obviously knew it. I'd seen his type a million times at _Rebel_ , although none as beautifully captivating as him.

"What?" he asked.

"Do you... dazzle people often?"

He seemed amused by this. "Do I dazzle _you_ , Sunshine?"

I gulped, needing a distraction from the ache between my legs and quickly needing to change the subject. "So..." I said, albeit a little hesitantly, "are you here alone, or are your friends here somewhere?" This was my subtle way of asking if he was seeing someone, and my not-so-subtle way of dodging his question.

He waved his fingers towards the crowd behind us, but it didn't seem like he was pointing at any particular group of people. He could have been pointing to the VIP booth or the coat check for all I knew. "The guys are here somewhere, mingling."

 _Guys_. So, he _wasn't_ here with a girl. Relief washed over me like a tidal wave. I'm not sure any woman would want their man buying another woman a drink, even if it was innocent in nature, which I had a feeling this was not. While working at _Rebel_ , I'd seen what happens when a woman is caught flirting with someone else's man, and trust me when I say it was never a pretty sight. I'd watched some nasty fights at the bar, but nothing compared to the hair-pulling, face-clawing ways of a woman scorned. I was not about to be someone's punching bag if I could help it.

"And how come your not with them...mingling?" I pressed.

He shrugged, and I could tell this was a topic he didn't want to discuss, for whatever reason. "We just mingle in different ways," he stated coolly, and I wished I'd known what he meant by that. He must have realized his tone was rather brash because he cleared his throat and continued with, "Sorry. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I saw an opportunity to ask the most beautiful girl in the room to dance with me, and I took it." Edward turned his head so he was looking out onto the dance floor and then turned back to me, his gaze smouldering. I almost melted right then and there. "So what do you say, Bella Swan? Dance with me?"

I missed the feelings that fled through my body when he his hand was touching my hip, so I nodded eagerly. He reached down and grabbed my hand, taking me by surprise, before leading the way to the dance floor.

Rose was dancing with Emmett, but she was looking directly at me, her mouth hanging open when she realized I was with the same guy from Tuesday night. I sucked my bottom lip between my teeth and gave her a discreet thumbs-up, letting her know I was okay – _more_ than okay - and she didn't have to come rescue me. I was in the arms of, arguably, the most attractive guy on the entire planet. Rose, being the amazing best friend she is, quickly pulled Emmett to the opposite side of the dance floor so he wouldn't be forced to watch his sister dance with some guy she barely knew. Emmett was kind-hearted and lovable, but he had a habit of sometimes being a little too overprotective of me, the only girl left in the family since our mom passed away.

But tonight was about fun, and I intended to have it. I wouldn't be twenty-one forever, might as well enjoy it while I could. For the longest while – two years, to be exact – Jake had been the only one to make my core burn. Even Mike, my on-again, off-again fling since Jake, hadn't ever made me as turned on as Edward had tonight with _just_ his words.

We started slow, my back to Edward's chest, his fingertips griping my hips. I swayed my body to the beat of the music, grinding my ass against his front with just enough pressure to tease him a little. I closed my eyes, letting myself get lost in the music and the feeling that last shot of tequila had going through my body. I lolled my head back on his shoulder and turned to look at his beautiful face, which was illuminated in several different colours from the strobe lights. My god, he was so handsome. I reached up and ran my fingers through the hint of scruff on his face. He closed his eyes, leaning into my palm.

 _So god damn sexy._

The music kept going, fast, loud, and I turned around so that I was facing him. He gripped me tighter, pulling me flush to his body, his hands moving from my hips to the swell of my ass so he could keep me tight against him. I could feel his hard-on against my stomach and bit down hard on my lip to suppress the moan that threatened to escape. I put my hands flat on his stomach, just above the waistband of his jeans, teasing him a little more. His stomach was hard, and I could feel each one of indents of his abs as my hands travelled up his stomach before finally wrapping around his neck.

 _Yeah, definitely not lanky._

I swear I heard him growl, which just added fuel to the fire already burning in my lace underwear.

The alcohol had my inhibitions down, that was for sure, but I knew there was no harm in dancing with a boy at a club, even if he was a complete stranger. Even though, if I'm being completely honest, the dance with Edward felt less than innocent.

I kept moving, the alcohol having really given my self-esteem a huge boost. I turned again so my ass was swaying against his painfully hard erection, a smile tugging on my lips when I realized it was _me_ doing that to him, and he was doing nothing to keep me from noticing just how hard he was. He trailed his fingers from the top of thighs and up my sides, before coming to rest on my waist, holding me close to him, his face in my hair as we moved. It was then that I noticed a group of three girls standing off to the side of the dance floor, whispering to each other while pointing in our direction. I narrowed my eyes and checked to make sure my dress hadn't ridden up my ass – _nope, that's fine_ – or that my tits hadn't fallen out of my dress – _also fine._

 _What the hell is their deal?_

I tried to ignore them, but they kept pointing. Jesus, talk about blatantly staring like we were some kind of bizarre circus attraction. It was starting to make me uncomfortable, and quite frankly, annoyed as hell. I had to resist giving them the middle finger.

Edward seemed to notice them too, because he turned me around abruptly so I was facing him, and leaned down to talk to me, his eyes on them like he was making sure they wouldn't advance towards us as he spoke.

"It's too fucking loud in here. Come outside, and we can smoke a joint." He reached behind his ear and pulled out a joint.

I nodded, eager to get out into the breeze to cool off my electrified body. At this point, I would have followed him to Mars if he asked me to.

Not to mention those gawking girls were giving me the creeps.

I turned in the direction of the front entrance, ready to bolt, but Edward reached out and grabbed my arm, pulling me back to him.

"Not that way. Follow me."

I was ready to follow him anywhere. There was something trusting about him despite his bad-boy appearance.

He lead me to the back of the bar, down a long, narrow hallway and out an emergency exit in the back. I was internally thanking myself for wearing my flat sandals and not the five-inch heels I'd contemplated, because I know my feet would have been blistered and bleeding before the night was over.

No sooner had I stepped out of the bar and into the night than I was being pushed against the brick of the building, Edward's lips crashing down onto mine. I was surprised at first, but it was quickly replaced with urgency as I realized what was happening and I kissed him back with fervour, tangling my fingers in his hair. It was silky and soft, just as I'd suspected it would be. I gripped the hair and the nape of his neck and pulled him closer to me, hitching my leg around his hip once his body was perfectly moulded against mine. He tasted just as good as he smelled – very sweet and a little salty, the perfect balance.

He held my leg at my thigh and ground his erection into my pelvis, making me yelp when he hit me in just the right spot. "Bella..." he groaned against my lips, pushing even harder.

I couldn't deny that I was enjoying the feeling his body was giving me. "It's okay, Edward," I told him, pulling back so I could find his eyes. He was looking at me with undeniable hunger, his bright green eyes darkening to a deep forest green.

He reached up with his right hand and cupped my cheek before again finding my lips with his own. My knees nearly buckled beneath me; in the two years I dated Jacob, I don't think he ever touched my face while we kissed, and the sensation I was getting now, with Edward's long fingers holding my head in place, was like nothing I had ever felt before. Edward ran his tongue along my lower lip before sucking it into his mouth and biting down gently. I moaned softly and opened my mouth, giving him access.

We made out for a few more minutes, our tongues moving together in quick, wet strokes. When I had to come up for air, breathless from our dancing mouths, Edward continued to trail wet kisses along my cheek, down my jaw, where my neck and shoulder met, along my collarbone... I closed my eyes, my fingers tangled in his hair, as he trailed his fingers from my ankle to the top of my thigh, stopping just at the bottom of my short dress. I pressed into him more, giving him permission, but he suddenly dropped my leg and pulled away, shaking his head.

"What's wrong?" I panted breathlessly. I quickly adjusted the skirt of my dress and ran my fingers through my now tangled hair, embarrassed at his sudden disinterest in me. Edward paced back and forth in front of me, his hands gripping the hair at the back of his head, his eyes scrunched tightly shut like he was trying to will himself to another dimension. "Was it...something I did?" I cast my eyes down on the ground, wondering what I could have done to cause this unexpected reaction. After all, he was the one who kissed me first, so he shouldn't have been surprised that I reciprocated. Was he expecting me to slap him across the face?

He stopped pacing so he could look at me. "God, no, Bella," he whispered all in one breath. He took one, two, three steps toward me and placed both hands on the building behind me, caging me between his body and the brick. I could feel the heat radiating off his body, and I wondered if he could tell just how shallow my breaths had become since he came close to me again. He leaned down and pressed his forehead to mine, closing his eyes and sighing heavily. "I'm just no good for you."

Jesus Christ, this guy was like night and day. One minute it seemed like he was going to rip my clothes off so he could fuck me behind the dumpster, and the next he's pulling away from me like I have some kind of plague. Edward was a roller-coaster of emotions, and I got all this after only meeting with him twice. I was only looking for a good time, not a fucking engagement ring.

"Look, I'm not asking you to be good _for_ me," I told him honestly, looking at his beautiful green eyes with my brown ones. Illuminated in the light over the door, he looked like something directly out of a Hollywood film, and the drunk, horny female in me couldn't help but yearn for him. "I'm asking you to be good _to_ me. Tonight. And in return..." I broke our gaze and lifted myself up on my tiptoes so I could whisper into his ear as I palmed his erection through his jeans, "I'll be good to you. We can go back to my place."

"You don't look like the kind of girl that has one-night stands," he told me as he reached up and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. I quivered under his touch, my knees nearly giving out.

"I'm... I'm not," I admitted honestly, not breaking his gaze as I skimmed my fingertips from the base of his shaft to the tip. "But I'm twenty-one years old. I'm not some delicate little flower, and I'm not a virgin. I know what I want, and right now, it's you." I squeezed his considerable length and he grunted. "I can tell you want me, too."

"I don't date."

"Okay."

"I _fuck_."

Hearing him say the word _fuck_ made me bite down on my lip so hard that I tasted blood. "Also okay. Now kiss me, Edward."

The groan that escaped his lips was almost animalistic, and suddenly our lips were entangled yet again. He kissed me harder and with more passion than even our previous kisses held, and he reached up to coil his fingers in my hair. I opened for him when his tongue glided across my lips, relishing in the feeling his body was giving mine.

He was pressing his body into me again, gyrating his hips against me just so, when the door suddenly swung open, making us both jump in surprise. He backed away from me quickly, and I watched as he not so discreetly adjusted himself in his pants while shooting daggers with his eyes to the guy who so had rudely interrupted us.

"Seth, what the fuck?" he growled.

Standing in the doorway was a guy around Edward's age, with tanned skin and short black hair. He was good-looking, but not as hot as Edward. He chuckled when he realized what he walked out on, awkwardly reaching up to cup the back of his neck. I felt my face flush crimson as a wave of nausea hit me right in the stomach.

"Sorry to interrupt another one of your little romp sessions, Eddie-boy, but we've got a problem. Garrett's piss drunk, so we have to get him home before he does something that makes a fool out of all of us."

Edward clawed at the hair on the front of his head before rubbing both his hands up and down his eyes, like he was trying to sober himself up. "Where is he?" he groaned.

"The VIP booth upstairs, the one overlooking the dance floor."

"Fucking great," Edward snipped at his friend. "It's going to take all of us to get him down over the fucking stairs and into a cab, so hopefully no ones take any pictures. Where's Riley? We're gonna need his help. You know how rowdy Garrett can get when he's fucked up."

"Riley just got in a cab with some blonde chick," Seth answered, shrugging. "It's just you and me."

Edward rolled his eyes. "Fucking great." He turned to me, the anger disappearing from his eyes. "I'm sorry, Bella, but I have to go. It's been nice seeing you again. I'll see you around."

He left, the door slamming shut behind him. I leaned forward, my hands on my knees, as another wave of nausea hit me. It wasn't long before I was doubled over, puking whatever contents I had in my belly.

 _So much for my so-called strong stomach._

I leaned back against the wall and wiped the sweat from my brow. I got my phone out of my cross-body purse, surprised to see four texts from Rose, the last one sent only a minute ago. I'd been so caught up that I hadn't even heard my phone ding. No doubt she was thinking the worse, that I'd been drugged and kidnapped and was currently being shipped to some third world country.

 _Where have you gone?_

 _Earth to Bella!_

 _HELLO_

 _Don't make me send out a search party for your ass. Where the hell are you?_

I quickly typed out a reply and hit SEND.

 _I'm just going to get an Uber home. Not feeling the best. Stay out and have fun._

A moment later, a response.

 _Alone? Or are you with Hottie McHotterson?_

Another wave of unbridled embarrassment floated through my body, replacing the buzz I had.

 _Alone. I'll see you tomorrow._

The Uber ride home was awkwardly silent. I just sat in the backseat, my arm resting on the door with my head propped in my hand. I was trying my hardest not to throw up as I thought about the events that occurred tonight. I'd acted so out of character, no doubt due to the booze I'd consumed. I was willing to fuck some stranger because he was hot and I was horny and he gave me attention. I felt disgusted with myself the more I thought about it, not to mention how utterly embarrassed I was that Edward just up and left so quickly, yet again. I hoped I would never have to face him again. He probably thought I was as easy as any other slut he'd slept with. He was definitely a womanizer, that much I could tell, so it was probably good I didn't use him as another notch in my belt.

As soon as I unlocked the door to the apartment, I stripped off all my clothes and got in the shower, hoping it would help me to sober up even more than the vomiting had. I lathered my hair and body, enjoying the feeling of the steam opening my pores and the water cascading in ripples down my back.

I washed my face with my favourite cleanser, removing the little bit of makeup I'd applied only hours earlier. I rinsed, using my fingers to scrub away the dirt. I let my fingers hover over my lips, which were raw and puffy from Edward's kisses, remembering how he sucked and nipped and glided across them. How could something that felt so good feel equally as dirty?

I thought about this as I dressed and climbed into bed. Despite myself, I fell asleep dreaming of what could have happened if we hadn't been interrupted.

 **A/N: Here is chapter three! As usual, a big thank you to jansails for pre-reading and giving feedback. You rock! Also want to thank the folks over at The Lemonade Stand for recommending Made for You this week! Thank you so much!**

 **I'm pretty sure the next chapter will be in Edward's point of view! What would you like to see in EPOV? Don't forget to review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: So I made a little change to the story. Instead of Edward's brother who died, it was his best friend. I changed the description of the story to follow the same. It just worked better this way! Hope you enjoy getting into Edward's head a bit!**

 **Made For You**

 _Edward_

The two girls eye-fucking me while I danced with Bella was very distracting, especially when I realized she knew that they were looking directly at us and no one else. They even had the nerve to point. I had to get Bella out of there if I didn't want my cover to be blown before I'd intended. Having Bella not know me was refreshing - she wasn't dancing with me because I was in a band, she was dancing with me for the sole reason that she wanted to. I wanted to keep it that way.

I grasped Bella's upper arms and spun her quickly so she was facing me. I leaned down so my face was in her ear but kept my eyes on the other two girls to make sure they wouldn't blindside me. Her hair smelled really good, refreshing and like strawberries; much better than sweaty frat guy smell of the nightclub. "It's too fucking loud in here. Come outside, and we can smoke a joint," I said. I retrieved the rolled joint from behind my ear and rolled it between my fingers.

Bella nodded eagerly and turned towards the main door. I quickly grabbed her wrist and pulled her back before she took off. The main door wouldn't work, they would probably just follow us. I knew the passcode for the emergency exit out back, since the band used to perform at this club one Friday night a month when we were just starting out, back before we signed our record deal. The manager had given us the code so we could sneak out for cigarettes, and I was internally thanking him for not changing it these last few years.

"Not that way," I told her. She didn't question me, and followed me down the hall past the bathrooms.

I punched in the number and then shoved the door open. I held it to allow Bella to go through - ladies first and whatnot - and I couldn't help but watch her ass as she stepped out into the alley. I thought I had gotten a good look at her inside the nightclub, but now, illuminated in the light over the door, I realized she looked even more edible. The short black dress she was wearing was skin tight and left little to the imagination when it came to where her curves began and ended. I'd admired her in that knee length yellow sundress Tuesday night, but this was something completely different. Her ass was perfect and her legs were long and shapely. My dick was still hard from our time on the dancefloor, so I quickly adjusted myself in my pants before stepping out behind her with the intentions of lighting the joint.

She only took a few steps forward before she turned around, a smile on her face, and any plans I had for keeping my dick in my pants tonight vanished out the window. I had to have her.

"Oh, fuck it," I mumbled mostly to myself, low enough so Bella couldn't hear, and then I quickly crashed my lips to hers and pushed her up against the other building. I could tell she wasn't expecting that - she made an adorable little squeaking noise when her back hit the brick - but it wasn't long before she relaxed, reached up to tug at my hair and pulled me so I was flush to her body as my lips moved urgently with hers. I could feel her hard nipples poking my chest and it made my dick twitch involuntarily.

She hitched her leg around my waist and I could feel her heat radiating onto me, warming me up in this chilly Seattle weather. Without even thinking, I ground myself into her, wanting her to feel just what she she had done to me. I could tell she had from the noise she made, so I pushed a little farther, wanting her to verbally give me permission to continue.

"Bella…" I groaned, hoping it sounded like the warning I wanted it to. I was no good for her, she had to know that, but there was no denying just how much I wanted to be inside of her, to see her perfect body as she bounced on my dick, to feel each one of her breasts, full and round in my hands.

"It's okay, Edward," she told me, giving me the permission I longed for as she looked directly into my eyes. Her eyes were a color I've never been before - dark brown with flecks of gold throughout - and my hunger for her intensified along with my buzz. I felt like the earth was spinning rapidly, no doubt from all the drinks I'd had.

I cupped her cheek in my hand and kissed her again, suckling on her lower lip and teasing and biting. Bella moaned, and I swear I nearly blew my load right then and there. I started to explore all the exposed skin on her upper body while my free hand ran up her thigh. I wondered if she'd let me take her right there in the alleyway, but Bella didn't seem like the type of girl to fuck some stranger in a dirty alley outside a nightclub; in fact, she didn't seem like the type of girl to just fuck and chuck, and I definitely wasn't looking for a relationship.

Not to mention her father was the owner of _Rebel_. I couldn't do anything to fuck up our gig there. This was our chance to get back out there, performing in front of actual people instead of just fucking around in our apartment or studio. If we wanted to tour next summer, then we needed the practise. Also, Bella seemed like the kind of girl who would catch feelings pretty easily and she was a nice girl who deserved a lot better than a quick fuck. As bad as my body ached for hers, I couldn't bring myself to ruin her, which is exactly what I thought I would do if I fucked her like one of our band groupies.

Reluctantly, I pulled away from her. She had to know where I stood, or I wouldn't be able to live with myself. My father may have taught me to be a sex-loving douchebag, but my mother had raised a gentleman. Sometimes it was hard to be both, so I closed my eyes and tugged at my hair as I paced back and forth in front of her - nervous habit I'd had since I was a child - and tried to decide what to do.

She was breathless when she spoke. "What's wrong?" she asked before she tugged her dress down and combed her fingers through her hair. "Was it… something I did?" She looked dejected, her eyes finding the ground. I felt bad - I was trying to avoid being a complete asshat, but it turned out I was just that if Bella thought _she_ had done something wrong.

I was the fucked up one.

"Go, no, Bella," I said to her. I closed the space between us and put my hands on the wall behind her head, caging her between my body and the brick building. I put my forehead against hers and sighed. "I'm just no good for you."

There. I said it. Now, it was up to her to decide what she wanted to do. If she still wanted me to after my warning, then I'd take her back to the apartment and fuck her until she could barely walk.

"Look, I'm not asking you to be good _for_ me," she explained, annoyed. "I'm asking you to be good _to_ me. Tonight. And in return…" She stood on her tiptoes as she whispered in my ear, and I nearly jumped when she unexpectedly ran her palm down the length of my member. "I'll be good to you. We can go back to my place."

I reached up and tucked a section of hair that had fallen in front of her face behind her ear. If she wanted me then great, I'd have her, but she had to be sure. Had to be. "You don't look like the kind of girl that has one night stands."

"I'm… I'm not," Bella admitted as she continued to feel me up. "But I'm twenty-one years old. I'm not some delicate little flower and I'm not a virgin. I know what I want, and right now, it's you." She squeezed me suddenly and I couldn't help the primal sound that came out of me. "I can tell you want me to."

"I don't date."

"Okay."

"I _fuck_."

She bit her lip, looking so god damn sexy as she did so. "Also okay. Now kiss me, Edward."

That was all I needed to hear. Hungrily, I captured her lips again as my fingers found her hair, and our tongues collided together, swirling and flicking. She tasted so good, sweet and like tequila still, and I couldn't wait to _actually_ taste her. I'd bet it would be heavenly.

I continued to make out with her as I grinded my hard dick into her hot body, rubbing, teasing what was to come. I marvelled in the sounds she was making. All my senses were on overdrive, which I why I jumped when the backdoor opened and Seth was stood in the doorway. I quickly adjusted my erection as Bella backed up, looking absolutely horrified.

"Seth, what the fuck?" I shouted. He had an amused look on his face - he knew what I was up to. But fuck, why did it have to be when I was with Bella? I'd wanted her below me since the moment I saw her Tuesday night.

"Sorry to interrupt another one of your little romp sessions, Eddie-boy, but we've got a problem. Garrett's piss drunk, so we have to get home before he does something that makes a fool out of all of us."

I pulled my hair and then raked my hands over my face a few times. This couldn't be happening right now. "Where is he?" I spat angrily.

"The VIP booth upstairs, the one overlooking the dance floor."

"Fucking great," I moaned sarcastically. If Garrett was as drunk as he normally gets, then he wouldn't have a fucking leg to stand on. "It's going to take all of us to get him down over the fucking stairs and into a cab, so hopefully no one takes any pictures. Where's Riley? We're gonna need his help. You know how rowdy Garrett can get when he's fucked up."

Seth shrugged. "Riley just got in a cab with some blonde chick. It's just you and me."

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. "Fucking _great_ ," I repeated, even more agitated. I turned back towards Bella, who still looked mortified and utterly embarrassed. I felt like a complete jerk, but I was. She couldn't even look me in the eye for longer than a second. "I'm sorry, Bella, but I have to go. It's been nice seeing you again. I'll see you around."

I followed Seth inside, letting the door slam behind me. Bella didn't follow.

I didn't want to leave her, especially not out in some dark alley with God knows who lurking around and _definitely_ not after her proposition of a fuck with no strings attached, but what fucking choice did I have? I couldn't have Garrett making a fool out of all of us considering we just got back. He was not going to fuck this up for us, not on my goddamn watch.

Just like Seth said, he was upstairs sitting at the private VIP booth with his face nestled into some busty, blonde tramp's neck, her legs draped haphazardly across his thighs. He didn't even notice Seth and me hovering over him, too busy attacking that chick like a hungry vampire, until I practically shouted at him.

"Garrett!"

The woman jumped back at the sound of my voice and leaned into the black leather couch, obviously startled by my tone and embarrassed that I just caught her caressing some guy's tonsils with her tongue. Garrett glared at me, his eyes black and glossy.

 _Fuck_. I'd recognize that look anywhere. It was a look I'd faced in the mirror more than once.

But that was _before_.

"Hey hey hey, Eddie, my man," Garrett said as he stood and came over to slug his arm around my shoulders, seemingly forgetting about the blonde sitting on the couch looking rather uncomfortable. He darted his gaze back and forth from Seth to me. "Let me guess, Seth sent you to come rescue me?" I gave him a blank look, and he chuckled. "Don't you worry about me, this lovely lady right here gave me a line of Seattle's best, and now I feel fucking wonderful."

Instantly my mouth watered. I had to gulp back the extra saliva that accumulated in my mouth as I thought of ways to get Garrett out of this bar - one that didn't include dragging him out by his hair. Although it was rather tempting, it wouldn't make for good press if anyone took a video - even if they didn't know who we were, a video like that would be bound to go viral, and someone would eventually recognize us. The last thing we wanted was for Midnight Sun to come crashing down as we were trying to build ourselves back up.

Annoyed, I shrugged him off me and stepped away. "Excellent. Then you'll feel wonderful in the cab on the way home."

He shook his head and stared at me as if I had three heads. "It's barely midnight, asshole. The night is still young, and I'm _clearly_ busy. What's your fucking rush?"

"I thought we said no more drugs," I ground out between gritted teeth as Garrett turned and sank back onto the couch, the blonde instantly curling against his side.

"You said no more drugs. I said no such thing."

When Tyler died last year, I managed to stay sober for the full two weeks that we were home in Chapel Hill, for Mom and my sister more so than anyone else. They were the crappiest two weeks of my life – I felt everything. Every emotion from Tyler's death came barrelling forward, and it was so hard to fight them off... So once we were back in Seattle, I snorted some cocaine, fucked a few fans, and drank so much Fireball whisky that they offered to sponsor us. I wasn't proud that I'd handled my stress like that, but I had.

And it worked. For a while.

When the booze and the drugs didn't seem to fight the pain, we decided to take a break from the hustle and bustle of this lifestyle and spend some quality time with our families. It sucked that we had to give up just when the band was gaining some serious momentum. Then, what was only supposed to be a month off turned into two, and then three... Finally, at the six-month mark of Tyler's death, we decided it was time to leave North Carolina, yet again, and move back to Seattle. Except this time, we had Garrett in tow instead of my best friend.

And I made a vow to stay as far away from the drugs as I possibly could. I knew it was the right choice, but it was proving to be very, very difficult. They seemed to be the only thing to take the pain away, even if only for a little while, and they were everywhere; especially in the entertainment industry.

They should change the name from _green room_ to _white room_.

But this was the life we chose when we all decided to drop the option of going to college and signed that record deal with Volt Records. Carlisle, our manager, had told us from the start how this lifestyle could take a toll on a person. But the world was full of temptations, and we were a bunch of headstrong guys who thought we were invisible, untouchable.

Man, were we ever fucking wrong.

Seth, usually quiet, finally spoke up. "We have our first gig at that bar tomorrow night. You'll be up all night and dragged out tomorrow if you keep this up. Listen to Edward, for God's sake."

Garrett regarded Seth with mock surprise on his face. "Ah, Saint Seth finally speaks. Why don't the two of you go back to what you were doing and leave me and Tiffany-"

"It's Bethany," the blonde corrected him, slanting her eyes at him. It took everything in me not to laugh at out loud. She looked less than impressed.

"Bethany," Garrett corrected. He fixed his gaze back to me. "Leave me and Bethany alone. I haven't missed a single thing regarding this band yet, and you know it. I'll be there with bells on."

Garrett rolled his eyes, and I wanted to punch him right between them. We'd barely been back in Seattle for two weeks after our six-month hiatus, and Garrett was already starting to rub me the wrong way. So what if he was a talented drummer? He would never be as good as my best friend.

Garrett tried to dismiss me with a wave of his hand. "Go write a song or something, Edward, and leave me the hell alone."

That was it. I reached down, grabbed the neck of Garrett's T-shirt, and then hauled him up off the couch, so we were face to face. I could tell he wasn't expecting my strength because his eyes widened.

 _Not so tough now, pussy._

"Listen, you fucking prick, you just became a part of this band, and you can easily be replaced, especially here in Seattle. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of drummers in this city that would be willing to take your place in a heartbeat. You get ONE warning, asshole! This is no 'three strikes, and then you're out' deal. We're here to get the exposure and practice we need before our new album drops. We need the exposure if we want to tour next summer. If you can't drop the drugs, you need to move on, or your ass is out! You got that, buddy?"

"Tour next summer? Are you fucking kidding me? You haven't written a single fucking song since December, and you think we're going to tour next year? News flash, Edward, we need new music in order to be able to tour. Hell, we need new music before we can even release an EP. Why don't you focus on that before worrying about what I'm doing?"

He hit a nerve there, and he fucking knew it, and I hated him for it. More than that, I hated myself for allowing that shit to bother me. Talk about kicking someone when they're already down.

I pulled my fist back with all intentions to knock him directly in the face, but then Seth was behind me, pulling me back from him. "Edward, don't, she's getting her phone," Seth said quickly as he pried my fingers off Garrett's shirt. When I looked, that Bethany chick on the couch was frantically looking through her purse, no doubt for her phone. If I thought it would be bad press for Garrett to be seen too drunk, then I knew for a fact that me beating the living shit out of him right now would be worse. Our PR team hated messes, that much I already knew.

"Stay away from the drugs," I said again as I pointed directly at his face. "Or else."

"Come on," Seth said into my ear, loud enough for me to hear over the thundering music but low enough so that Garrett was out of earshot. Not that he was paying us any attention anymore- he was, yet again, pawning over that groupie. "Let's go downstairs, call a cab, and get the hell out of here. It's boring anyway."

Boring? Had he not processed what he had interrupted in that alley not even ten minutes ago? That was far from boring to me - in fact, it had been the highlight of my night. I could be balls deep in a beautiful girl by now, but instead, I was dealing with this bullshit drama.

"You go. I've got other things to do."

"Okay, man, whatever you say," Seth said reluctantly. I knew he wouldn't try to argue with me. The guys - except for Garrett, who hadn't been around before Tyler's death - seemed to walk on eggshells around me.

I kept my eyes peeled for Bella as I bounced down the stairs two at a time, but she was nowhere to be seen. I spotted the two friends she came here with at the bar, and Bella wasn't with them, so I raced down the hallway. I figured she wouldn't be there, but I had to make sure she was okay. I nearly took the door off the hinges as I opened it with way more force than necessary. First, I looked left, then right, but she was nowhere to be seen.

I jogged down the alley and turned the corner, just in time to see Bella load into the back of an Uber.

"Goddammit!" I screamed, drawing the attention of a couple clubgoers on a smoke break. I narrowed my eyes at them, and they quickly turned away. Bella and the Uber disappeared down the road.

I thought about getting a cab and following her back to her place, but she had already accused me of stalking her, and that would push it a little too far. At least I knew she was safe. That was the main thing.

I called a cab to pick me up about a block away, not wanting to have to stand outside. I smoked a cigarette while I walked, trying to clear my head, which was still spinning from the booze and my confrontation with Garrett. As soon as I was in and the driver began to sing along to some old country song, I picked up my phone and dialed a number without even thinking.

She answered on the first ring. "Hello?"

"Makenna," I said. "What are you doing now? You busy?" My voice didn't even sound like my own. I had so much adrenaline pumping through my body that I was buzzing like TV static. I needed to get rid of some of this pent-up energy, one way or another. I was thinking of too much at once - writing new music, Tyler's death, Alice and Luca. I needed a distraction, and I needed it now before I exploded.

"Edward," Makenna said, surprised. "No, I'm not busy. What's up?"

"I'm coming over," I told her, and then disconnected the call.

 **A/N: So we have a little bit of Edward's backstory! Edward's not a** _ **complete**_ **douchebag, as you can tell, but he definitely has some growing to do! Let me know what you think in the reviews! I'm so sorry for the long wait - you won't have to wait that long again!**

 **Huge thanks to my friend Jan for pre-reading and giving me her opinion, and thanks to Fran for being my beta! You both rock!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Made for You**

 _Edward_

Despite being out late, I was up at just past nine on Saturday morning, unable to drift back to sleep as I thought about the events of the night before with a sober mind. Whenever I thought about leaving Bella out in the alley to follow Seth - practically slamming the door in her face as my anger about the whole situation with Garrett took precedence over being a fucking decent human being - I felt like a complete and utter jackass. Maybe I _should_ have taken a cab to her apartment, if only to apologize to her for being so fucking rude. I know she wouldn't have let me in her pants after that stunt, but it still would have been better than what I _had_ done, no matter how disastrous my night with Makenna ended.

I licked my lips and sighed, scrubbing my face with my hands. I could still taste Bella on my tongue, feel her tiny body pushed against my achingly hard cock, the way her hair felt wrapped around my fingers, the tiny mewls of pleasure that escaped her mouth as our lips crashed against one another.

I don't know what it was about her, but there was something screaming at me that she was different, that she wasn't like the road groupies I was used to, and definitely not like Makenna Ford. It probably had something to do with the fact that she didn't recognize me, so maybe it was a good thing we didn't hook up, especially since the band was slated to start playing at Rebel tonight. I doubted Bella would even want to look at me again if we'd fucked and I'd left out that little – albeit, _very_ important piece of information. She said herself that she didn't do the whole one-night-stand thing, but I think that turned me on even more, knowing she didn't want me because I was in a band, but instead just for _me_. Not that Midnight Sun was super famous or anything, but even before the record deal, when we would play at old bars or anniversary parties, I garnered the attention of females simply by _being_ in the band. It was as though band boys were every woman's wet dream come true.

I tried to push those thoughts to the back of my mind and picked up my iPod from my bedside table, trying to drown out my internal banter with music. Maybe I could find inspiration in my favorite songs that would make me want to pick up my guitar and write. I listened to everything from soft country ballads to heavy metal to Queen, my favorite band, but I still had jack shit.

This was clearly the new fucking normal for me.

I'd always been a good songwriter; it was just one of those things that had come so naturally to me. I'd realized my talent in my freshman year Advanced Music class, when I was paired with Tyler Crowley, a sophomore, on a project where we had to pick an instrument and perform a riff in front of the entire class. I'd been in piano lessons since I was a kid thanks to my mom, but we'd chosen guitar, and Tyler spent the next few weeks teaching me everything he knew about the instrument since he had been playing ever since he was old enough to hold those mini kid guitars. I'd caught on quickly, and nearly every day after school we would practice in his parent's garage. We aced the project and continued to play together just for the fun of it. If we weren't writing songs in his garage, we were comparing CD collections or heading downtown to listen to the bands from the sidewalk, considering we weren't old enough to get into the bars yet.

It didn't long before Tyler was my best friend, thanks to our shared love of music. We'd been practically inseparable ever since.

Since Tyler's death, I'd been drawing blanks when it came to writing, and the band was suffering for it. We hadn't come out with any new music in over a year. Our label – and our fans – were beginning to question why. Apparently, grieving the death of a friend was not a valid enough excuse to fall off the bandwagon.

"Work is work," Aro, the head of Volt Records, had said during our meeting on Wednesday. He hadn't been known for being the most caring or compassionate man, but he knew this business better than anyone else. All he ever saw or cared about were dollar signs and what we could do as a band to make him more money. "We're devastated with Tyler's death as well, but you need to fulfill your contractual duties. I need twelve new songs recorded for release by the end of the year, or you'll be in breach of your contract. You've all been paid your advances – that's a hefty penny to have to pay us back, don't you think?"

Twelve new songs by the end of the year, and I could barely string together twelve words.

Frustrated with my lack of writing ability, I took out my headphones, threw my iPod across the room and crossed my arms over my chest, staring up at the blank white ceiling. It had been six months since Tyler's death, and I was still reeling from the effect it had on me. When he left, he took my talent with him.

Served me right.

I felt a lot of things when it came to his death: profound sadness, an emptiness that reared its ugly head even in a room full of people, raging red anger.

 _Guilt_.

That was the main one. It stuck out like a sore thumb, constantly nagging. After all, it was _supposed_ to be me. It _should_ have been me. I wasn't the one married with a kid.

They said it would get easier over time. _They_ , being everyone except my twin sister and Tyler's wife, Alice.

 _Alice_. It hurt my heart even to think about her. I was having a hard enough time coming to terms with my best friend's death, so I couldn't even imagine how she was feeling. She was the one left with a dead husband and a toddler to raise alone.

My sister was supposed to be off limits to Tyler. It was rule five in the Book of Rules, which we started my freshman year when I'd caught Tyler making out with Addison Harding at a party, despite the fact I'd told him I was crushing on her. Rule One? _Thou shall not kiss/ make-out/ fuck the other party's love interest/ girlfriend._

Rule Five came a bit later, when I was a sophomore and Tyler was a junior, and I'd caught him ogling my sister through the kitchen window as she laid out by our pool in her swimsuit while reading a book. He was so entranced that he hadn't even realized I was standing right next to him until I punched his arm. Rule Five? _Sisters are strictly off limits._

Pfft, yeah right. That rule didn't last long. A month later I'd caught him and Alice making out on his couch after I'd gotten off early from my shift at the little shithole diner where I worked two evenings a week after school. Okay, so _maybe_ I had just barged into his house like I owned the place, but hey, we were best-fucking friends. It's just what you did.

I'd lost my fucking shit, of course. She _was_ my little sister after all, even if only by three and a half measly minutes. What kind of big brother would I be if I didn't want to kick Tyler's ass? But they quickly explained it was more than just hooking up – they were in love. I'd never heard Tyler talk about any girl the way he talked about my sister, and I knew he was a good guy, so I cut him some slack.

From then on it was always me, Tyler, _and_ Alice. I didn't mind though – Alice and I were always close, being twins and all, and were more like friends than siblings.

I couldn't deny that they were a perfect pair, although things did get a little rocky when Tyler graduated high school and started his first year of college while Alice and I were stuck in our senior year. When they could no longer see each other every day, Alice walked around with an emptiness in her eyes that was only replaced when she was with Tyler.

Which is why I wasn't surprised, when the summer after we graduated high school, she said yes when Tyler proposed to her on the beach.

I _was_ surprised, however, when Alice told me she was pregnant a year later.

Our parents had a fucking conniption. Well, Mom more so than Dad – he was too busy to even really care, off in some European country with the blonde bimbo he made his new wife. Mom was worried about Alice's future, and how they would be able to afford all the necessities that came along with being parents. Tyler swore he'd find a way to make it work, and he did.

Alice was a few months pregnant when Tyler called me from his college dorm and told me he wanted to form a band with some guys he met at a music workshop, and he wanted me to be the first one he officially asked to join. He said these guys had serious potential. Riley with amazing vocals and Seth an excellent bass player. Add in Tyler's astounding drumming skills and my ability to play acoustic guitar and write, we were a match made in musical heaven and instantly hit it off.

Midnight Sun was formed, and we never looked back. The band, and our music became a main focus in all our lives, more important to us than oxygen. We booked gigs every weekend, playing at rundown bars and at any open mic night we could find within a two-hundred-mile radius. It wasn't about fame or fortune, it was about sharing the music we loved with anyone who wanted to listen. Everything that came later was just a bonus.

It didn't take long for us to be signed with Volt. We considered ourselves lucky when one of our bar performances went viral on several social media platforms. Carlisle Cullen had reached out to us himself, telling us he liked our unique style, and offered to represent us. We jumped on the opportunity like white on rice, packed our bags, and headed towards our new life in Seattle without so much as a second thought. Luca was only a baby, but Alice never once hesitated to pack up to come with us. Actually, I'm pretty sure she was the first one to pack her bags.

Suddenly, the sound of my phone vibrating on the bed next to me broke me from my trance. When I picked it up, the first thing I saw was my sister's face lighting up the screen. It's like she knew I was thinking about her – twin telepathy or some shit. I hadn't had a chance to see her this week, since the band was so busy with meetings with Volt and rehearsals for our new summer gig.

Alice and I very rarely went more than a few days without speaking to each other, so I quickly pressed TALK and held the phone to my ear. "Hey, sis," I answered, trying to keep my voice chipper so Alice wouldn't worry. How fucked was that? Alice worrying about _me_ when it was her husband who died. "What are you doing up so early?"

"It's almost nine-thirty, Edward, so I would hardly call this early. Some of us don't have the luxury of sleeping until noon every damn day," she told me. "Besides, I saw a bunch of classified ads of places hiring, so I'm putting some resumes around town today. I need to find a job."

"Work…already?" I asked, propping myself up on my elbow. "Are you sure you're ready for that?"

"It's been six months, Edward, and I can only stretch Tyler's life insurance money so far if I want to put some away for Luca's education. Besides, I need to get back into a routine before I go stir-crazy. Same with Luca. He starts pre-school in September, and he's practically attached to me twenty-four-seven. His therapist says it's completely normal for him to be more attached to me now, not want to let me out of his sight, but it's time. I'm just glad that Chelsea from across the hall offered to babysit over the summer – I can't imagine having to try and wrangle him out of my car when he's decided he isn't going to daycare. At least this way, she's right next door. She has two kids around his age, a boy and a girl. It'll be good for him to get out with his peers."

I chuckled despite myself. "Alice, he's three. His peers are Barney and Spiderman."

"Ha ha," Alice deadpanned. "What about you, E? Have you thought any more about what I said?"

"I don't need to see a shrink, Alice." I loved my sister dearly, but damn, she could be pushy as hell sometimes. We'd had the same talk about me seeing a counselor for a few months, but I was hellbent on dealing with all this fuckery by myself. What the hell could a therapist tell me that I didn't already know myself? Answer: not a damn fucking thing, as far as I was concerned.

"Maybe not, but it couldn't hurt, could it? I didn't think it would help either, but Luca is doing much better." She paused, and I could hear her taking a deep breath and then letting it out again. "His nightmares have finally stopped."

Many nights since December, Alice called me in near hysteria when Luca woke up from a nightmare, inconsolable. They almost always included Tyler, which would prompt Luca to ask questions about where his father was, and when he was coming home. Alice tried her best to explain everything to him in a way that was appropriate for his age, but death was a hard concept to for a toddler to understand. How do you tell a three-year-old that Daddy was never coming home?

"Well, Alice, I'm glad he's doing better. You sound like you're doing good, too." Alice sighed, and I felt automatically guilty. If Alice was feeling something other than the utter despair she'd been experiencing, then I should be cheering her on no matter how I felt. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that, sis."

"I know." She paused, gathering her thoughts. "Some days are harder than others, but … I'm getting through it," she admitted softly. As good as she might have been doing, going to therapy and whatnot, Tyler was still a sore subject for us both. Most likely always would be, and I wasn't sure if any amount of time blabbing to a shrink would heal the hole that had formed in my chest.

Sensing that I needed the topic changed, Alice quickly said, "So, still no luck in the writing department, hey?"

Again with the damn telepathy. Most people would ask _how_ the writing was going. Alice just knew it was still gone to shit. Sometimes I wondered if she might be psychic or something.

"Well ... no." I pinched the bridge of my nose, feeling defeated yet again, and plopped my head back down on my pillow. I'd wanted to write, so bad, but each time I picked up the guitar or sat at the piano, it was like my mind went blank. "Aro said we have to have twelve new songs recorded and released by the end of the year. Twelve songs, Alice, in six months. I ... I don't know if I can do it. If I don't, we'll be in breach of our contract."

The rest of the band was willing to use music written by other songwriters, but Tyler had always had so much pride when it came to Midnight Sun releasing all original music, penned by the band. Well, written by me, I guess, but at least it was all original. I wrote most of the lyrics, with the guys giving their two cents when they thought necessary. It worked out perfectly, like a well-oiled machine, and the thought of giving up and recording music by other people didn't appease me one bit. Tyler wouldn't have wanted that, no matter how desperate we were, so I adamantly refused to even consider the concept.

"Maybe I can talk to Aro, try to get him to cut you guys a bit of slack," Alice suggested. I knew it was a lost cause - Aro had already cut us a lot of damn slack since Tyler died, and I knew his patience was wearing thing. "He's always liked me. It's kind of creepy, actually."

"Definitely creepy," I agreed, shuddering at the thought of the fifty-something label exec even _looking_ at my little sister. "I don't know, Al. I can't have my sister fighting all my battles for me. This is something we have to figure out on our own."

"The option is always there. Maybe if I bat my lashes…"

"Ew, stop," I groaned, recoiling from the mental image of him fawning over my only sister. "Seriously, Al, don't worry about it. I'll figure it out, one way or another." Even as I said the words, I wasn't confident I actually _could_ figure it out.

I just knew I would try my damn hardest to.

I must have dozed off again after my chat with Alice, because the feeling of a wet tongue gliding across my cheek stirred me out of a dreamless sleep. A quick glance at the clock told me is was just after noon.

Throwing my arm over the side of the bed, I rubbed behind Wolf's ears and watched as he wagged his tail madly. "Hey, boy. That was a rude fucking wakeup call. Don't you know I'm the one who refills your damn food bowl?"

Wolf nudged my side with his nose, and I groaned, throwing the blanket off my overheated body and venturing into the kitchen for a much-needed glass of water, the dog hot on my heels. I knew Wolf had to piss, and _fuck_ , so did I.

After doing my business, I tossed on a T-shirt, sweats, and hat, then leashed Wolf - he could piss outside while I smoked a cigarette. I had hoped to be able to let Wolf use the balcony, but it turned out the folks living below me didn't enjoy dog piss in their morning coffee, so now, every time Wolf needed to do his business, I had to make the trip all the way downstairs. A perk of living in a high-rise this was fucking not, but I was going to have to deal with it if I wanted to keep Tyler's dog. After all, it was _my_ idea to take Wolf in since Alice's new apartment had a stupid _no pets_ _allowed_ rule. She toyed with the idea of giving him away, but the thought of Luca losing his father _and_ his dog just wasn't a fucking option for me. This way, Luca could see Wolf whenever he wanted, and it gave me a good excuse for some one-on-one time with my nephew – we loved to walk the dog together, or take him to the park and play fetch until the three of us were completely worn out. Besides, Wolf was good company.

I made my way to the alley that ran between my building and some coffee shop. This location gave me somewhere I could hide out, let Wolf do his thing, and smoke a cigarette in peace.

I gave Wolf some slack on the retractable leash, then quickly lit a Marlboro, letting the thick smoke envelope my lungs and momentarily make me relax. Mom fucking hated that I smoked, but I argued that it was better than the other things I could have been doing.

She couldn't disagree with me there, so she left me alone for the most part.

I puffed on my cigarette and leaned against the wall, instantly bringing me back to last night and the time I had with Bella in an alleyway just like this one. If I didn't want a slap across the face or a knee to the balls tonight when Bella realized I was a member of the band, I knew I'd have to find her before then and come clean. If I still stood a chance, then great. If not … well, I couldn't blame her.

I could only hope she'd forgive me, and that I didn't fuck up things for Midnight Sun more than I already had.

 **Made for You**

 _Bella_

When I woke up Saturday morning, my head was pounding with the worst headache I've ever had. Groggily, I rolled out of bed and went into the kitchen for two things: Tylenol and a glass of cold water to hopefully help ease this hangover before I met up with Mike at noon.

Mike was a photographer – amateur, but still good at what he did. We'd met last summer at a photography workshop, not long after Jake and I broke up.

Once I was adequately hydrated and no longer wanting to hide in my bed all day, I quickly dressed, choosing to wear a simple floral sundress and my flip-flops; summer nights in Seattle were chilly, but the daytime was damn _hot_. All I needed now was my camera, and I'd still have enough time to grab a coffee before going to the park.

I checked my purse, where I normally kept it, but it wasn't there. I tore apart my room in my search, but still couldn't find it. All I could think about was the hundreds of pictures on my memory card, shots I'd never be able to recreate, gone forever.

When my phone rang from my nightstand, I almost ignored it to keep looking like a madwoman. But Rose's face flashing up at me made me stop.

I picked it up and pressed TALK. "Hey, Rose, I can't talk right now, I'm looking for my damn – "

"Camera?" She laughed. "I figured you'd be out of your head looking for that thing about this time. I just found it in my bedroom. You must have left it here a few days ago."

I breathed a sigh of relief, placing a hand on my chest. "Oh, thank _God_. I was worried sick!"

"I figured you would be. Don't you worry, all your photos are perfectly safe. Are you still meeting up with Mike today?"

"I meet up with Mike every Saturday. Why would today be any different?"

She hesitated for just a moment. "Last night…"

I gulped, bringing my fingers to my mouth to trace my lips. I could still taste Edward on them, sweet and salty. "Nothing happened last night."

"Well, _something_ happened last night. One minute you're dancing with that guy, the next you're bolting out the backdoor, then – poof – you went home. Did he try to hurt you or something? Cause if he did, Emmett can hunt him down and kick his ass."

"No!" I said, a little too quickly. "Jesus, Rose, it was nothing like that. His friends pulled him away before anything got too serious, and I drank so much I was sick, so I got an Uber home. End of story."

 _Next topic, please._

"Why do I feel like you're not telling me the whole story, Swan?"

Damn Rose and her ability to see right through me.

"We kissed," I admitted sheepishly, not really wanting to discuss what happened but knowing there was no use in trying to spare Rose any details. "It was … hot." I struggled to find the right words to relay how I felt about what happened last night with Edward. What happened in that alley was most definitely hot, and I also couldn't deny the fact that Edward was a perfect gentleman … right up until he let the door slam shut in my face.

"Okay, I'm putting on the kettle. You get over here right now! I want _all_ the details."

Before I could object, she hung up.

The walk was refreshing, and before I knew it, I was walking up the steps at Rose's brownstone.

She met me at the door holding a steaming hot cup of green tea, one of my favorites. We sat on her white leather couch – courtesy of her dad, along with all the other high-end, expensive shit in this place – and I hashed out every detail I could remember from the night before, leaving no stoned unturned. Thankfully, Emmett was at the shooting range with Embry, which was great because, although I loved my brother dearly, he wasn't privy to our girly conversations. That would just be weird.

Rose laid her now-empty mug on the coffee table. "Did you at least give him your number, so you can see him again?"

I shook my head. "I never got the chance to, but he didn't ask for it either. If he wanted, he could have asked before he left to go with his friend, but he never. He's … he's a player, Rose. He's not dating material – he said so himself. It's probably a good thing I didn't sleep with him, he could be crawling with STDs for all I know!" Embarrassment flooded me again at the thought of my actions last night. What felt good at the time most definitely didn't feel as good sober and level-headed. Edward was clearly a playboy, and he probably thought I was as easy as the other girls who jumped into his bed when he looked at them with those captivating green eyes of his. Maybe it was a good thing we were interrupted before things went too far, but I could feel my heartbeat quickening at the thought of his hands on my skin, fingers tangling in my hair, the way his lips felt moving against mine… I was practically squirming on Rose's couch just recalling the events from the night before.

When I shook my head and brought myself out of my naughty daydream, Rose was smirking at me. I was probably the color of a tomato. "You told me his friend said it was an emergency and that's why he had to leave so fast?"

I nodded, sinking deeper into the couch. "Well, apparently his other friend was really drunk and needed their help."

"Exactly … _emergency_ ," Rose said, looking at me like I had three heads. "He's probably kicking himself today for not getting your number, but at least he knows where you work." She winked at me, and I sighed, running my fingers through the ends of my hair.

"I don't know, Rose. I'll probably never see him again."

Rose raised her eyebrow and smirked. She leaned back on her couch, folding her arms over her chest. "You said _that_ before. I haven't seen you blush like this over a guy since … since Jacob, I guess. Not even Mike does this to you."

"Mike's just a friend," I rebutted.

"A friend with _benefits_."

Okay, so Mike and I had slept together every now and then, but we were friends and trusted each other first, so it wasn't like I was going around hooking up with just any guy who looked at me. Mike and I just used one another to scratch an itch while we weren't seeing other people, and we could stop whenever we wanted. No strings attached; if he wanted to date someone exclusively, then I'd be totally okay with that, and the same went for me. The whole thing with Mike started after Jake and I broke up – I was looking for a rebound, and met Mike at a photography workshop. We were friends before the sex came into play, and to be honest, it was merely mediocre at best. Not only that, but it had been a couple months since Mike and I had hooked up last, which probably was another reason I was so willing to sleep with Edward last night.

Before I could come up with some sarcastic remark to Rose's little dig at my character, a ding sounded from inside my purse. Speak of the devil - it was a text from Mike.

 _I'm running a little behind, but I'll meet you there in 30?_

I glanced at the clock on my phone. It was a few minutes after twelve – I'd completely lost track of time, but thankfully, Rose's place was just down the street from the spot where we usually met. If I left now, I'd even have enough time to grab a coffee from Coffee Works before heading to the park.

Rose gave me back my camera and told me she'd see me at work tonight for Midnight Sun's first performance, and after sending Mike a quick reply, I headed out into the Seattle sun.

In no time I made it to Coffee Works and ordered a large iced coffee, which was much needed since it was seventy-three degrees and sunny, not a cloud to be seen for miles. I'd taken no more than ten steps onto the sidewalk when a dog suddenly appeared in front of me. It jumped up, two paws digging into my stomach, and successfully knocked my five-dollar coffee to the ground.

"Hey, Wolf! Down, boy! Oh, I'm so fucking sorry – _Bella_?"

I nearly missed the garbage bucket at the unexpected call of my name, and swiftly whipped around, only to see Edward Masen standing at the entrance of an alley, cigarette in one hand, dog leash in the other. I blinked a few times, wondering if I was seeing things correctly or if I was just hallucinating. I mean, I had to be hallucinating, right? There's no way in hell it could be him, unless I was right, and he _was_ stalking me.

Or maybe he was right, and there was some higher power trying to fuck with us by making sure we constantly ran into each other. What did he call it? _Devine intervention_.

He looked surprised to see me.

I blinked a couple times as I wiped my dress of any dusty paw prints, trying to regulate my breathing before I spoke. "Oh … uh, hi, Edward." I crouched down, putting out my fingers for the dog to smell. He had to be one of the cutest dogs I'd ever seen, although I didn't recognize his breed. I let him sniff me a few more times before rubbing behind his ears, and couldn't help but smile as he thumped his tail and panted happily. "What did you say his name was?"

Edward cleared his throat and lifted his hand to rub at the back of his neck. I struggled to keep my eyes on his face instead of the prominent V exposed between the hem of his shirt and waistband. "Uh, W-Wolf," he stammered, no doubt surprised to have come face-to-face with me again. "Uh, his name. It's Wolf."

 _Wolf_. I'd never heard a dog called that before, and it was funny juxtaposed to a dog who looked nothing like a ferocious beast. "What kind of dog is he?"

"He's an Irish Wolfhound – hence the name."

"Really cute."

"You talking about me or the dog, Sunshine?"

 _Ah, there's the charm._

I must have straightened up and taken a few steps, because the next thing I knew, I was off the sidewalk and in the shade of the alley with him. "I'm talking about the dog, Edward. What are you doing here?" I asked, trying with all my might not to drool at the sight of him in a T-shirt and gray sweatpants – you know what they say about guys in gray sweats. His crazy hair was tucked haphazardly into a baseball cap.

Damn, why did he have to be so hot?

"I could ask you the same thing. This is my building." He pointed up at Parkview Towers and shrugged. "I'm simply enjoying a cigarette and letting my dog do his business." Without missing a beat, he chuckled and added, "Are _you_ stalking me, Bella? Us running into each other is getting a little too suspicious to be considered coincidental."

He was right. Rose was going to shit a brick when I told her that we bumped into each other… again.

"No, no stalking going on here," I said all too quickly, shaking my head. "I'm meeting up with a friend, and I was just grabbing a coffee beforehand."

He frowned. "I'm really sorry that Wolf knocked down your drink," he told me sincerely. "Please, let me take you to get a new one. It's the least I can do."

"You don't have to do that," I insisted.

"I know," he told me, finishing the last of his cigarette and stomping the nub into the ground. "I want to."

I agreed because I was thirsty, and it was hot, and _he_ was hot. We walked the short distance in silence, neither of us sure what to say to one another. A few times I saw him open his mouth, and I was sure he was going to break the awkward silence that was radiating between us, but he closed it just as fast without uttering a single word. When we reached Coffee Works, Edward tied Wolf onto a bike rack and held open the door for me. I ordered myself another large iced coffee and he ordered an espresso, using his Amex to pay for both despite me insisting I could pay for it on my own.

When the barista handed us our drinks, Edward nodded towards a booth by the window. "Do you have time to sit and talk? There's a couple things I have to say to you."

My phone read twelve-seventeen, so I still had time before I needed to meet Mike. "Sure," I answered. I had nothing better to do.

We sat, and I was pleased that we could see Wolf, who was lazily laying in the shade. I gripped my coffee cup with two hands as I glanced around the cafe, feeling the condensation running between my fingers and trying to ignore Edward's eyes, which I knew were looking right at me. I was waiting for the proposition I was sure was coming – _hey, so I know we got cockblocked hardcore last night, but do you think you'd be willing to fuck me later tonight?_

"Bella, I – "

"I'm not going to sleep with you!" The words came out before I had a chance to process what I was saying, and this time, I couldn't blame my word vomit on alcohol. A few customers turned to look at me, their eyes wide with shock, and I cursed under my breath for being so brash.

His thick brows knitted together in the center of his forehead. "What are you talking about?"

I sighed. "Listen, Edward, what happened last night … that was a mistake. I don't usually act that way." I kept my voice low, not wanting any other patrons to hear about my indiscretions.

He raised his eyebrow as he leaned back into the booth. "Mistake?"

"Look, I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression at Bend, but I meant it when I said I don't just sleep with random guys. It must have been the alcohol, but I let my guard down, and I'm sorry if that gave you the wrong impression of who I am as a person. I'm not the kind of girl you're looking for."

"Actually, Bella, I think you're exactly the kind of girl I'm looking for."

Well, if I wasn't already the shade of a damn fire hydrant, I was now. I was used to these kinds of flirtatious remarks from working at the bar and could usually combat them with an eye-roll or blank stare, but hearing it come from Edward made me tingle all over. I kept having to remind myself that he was a player, and so not the kind of guy I needed to be sleeping with, no matter how attractive or charming he was. I couldn't deny I'd had a great time last night dancing and talking with him, and I most definitely couldn't deny that he was undoubtedly the most handsome man on planet Earth, but I had to focus on the bigger picture here.

"Believe it or not," he continued, "I was having a great time with you last night _before_ all that stuff happened in the alley. That was just a bonus, but not a requirement. I thought you felt the same way. I thought you wanted to …"

"I did at the time. I was having a great time with you and got carried away," I told him honestly, smiling as memories from the night before washed over me. The taste of tequila as it burned my throat, his fingertips grazing my skin as we danced to the beat of the music, his tantalizingly perfect smile. "Well, I was having a great time before you left me. I ended up puking all over the ground and then got an Uber home. Not one of my finer moments." I laughed despite myself.

 _Okay, too much information, Swan!_

Edward took off his hat and ran his fingers through his hair, which was even messier than it had been last night. "I'm really sorry for how I acted when Seth came out to get me. I should have never left you alone out there, and I feel really terrible about it today."

"Really, despite what you saw at the bar on Tuesday, with James, I can take care of myself just fine," I told him. "But … thank you for apologizing, I appreciate it."

The corners of his eyes crinkled when he smiled, his eyes gleaming, and I couldn't help but smile back.

"Let me make it up to you," he propositioned.

"And how do you suppose you do that? Another joint?" I questioned.

Edward shook his head. "Go out with me."

My eyes widened. "Like … on a date?"

He laughed, his eyes sparkling. "Yes, Bella. On a date. How does Monday sound?"

I leaned back in the booth, folding my arms over my stomach. "I thought you told me you don't date?"

He placed his elbows on the table and laced his fingers together. "I don't. Not usually. But I can make an exception this once."

I lifted a single brow. "I don't fuck on the first date, either. Just so we're clear."

"What about the third?" When I reached across the table to playfully shove his arm, he put both hands up in surrender. "I'm kidding! But seriously, let me take you to dinner, Sunshine. No funny business, I swear. Scouts honor." He held three fingers up next to his lopsided grin, causing a giggle to erupt from my lips.

There was no harm in going out with him, right?

Right.

It had been a while since I'd been wined and dined, although not for lack of offers. Most of the time, it came from drunk college fraternity brothers after I'd served them their fourth Jager bomb, or dirty old men, just drunk enough to think they would actually have a chance. The thought of going out with a guy like Edward on my arm delighted me in ways I couldn't understand, and I knew that Rose would be ecstatic that I was "playing the field" yet again.

Her words, not mine.

"Okay," I agreed. "I'll go out with you."

I handed him my iPhone with the contacts app opened and watched as he programmed his number with a grin that reminded me of a Cheshire cat.

He handed it back to me, and his eyes snapped to my chest momentarily. "Do you take pictures?" he asked suddenly.

That caught me off guard. " _Excuse_ me?" Surely he wasn't about to solicit me for dirty pictures since he couldn't get in my pants. Just when I thought we were getting somewhere…

He pointed at my chest, and I looked down at the camera hanging around my neck, the Canon Rebel T7i I spent six months saving for. It wasn't top of the line, but it was mine, and it took great quality photos. I was so used to having it around my neck that sometimes I forgot it was even there. Like now, for instance. "Uh … yeah, it is. Sorry."

He chuckled, having caught on to my misinterpretation of his words. "So, you're a photographer?" he asked, tilting his head to the side, seeming genuinely interested.

I shrugged as I took a long haul on my iced coffee. "Not really. I'm not a professional or anything, it's just something I like to do in my spare time."

"Interesting," Edward mused, taking a sip of his espresso. "Maybe I can be your next subject?"

I laughed, shaking my head. "I don't usually photograph people, I photograph … things. You know, nature and buildings. People get too weird when you ask to take their picture, and it ends up looking unnatural and staged. My mom used to do photography, too – well, she had about a million and one different hobbies, but photography always stuck around. She was amazing at photographing people."

Renee had tried her hand at crocheting, belly dancing, knitting, and even weight training, but they all fizzled out after a few months. Photography stuck around, and Renee would always carry a camera in her purse. I remember being mortified when she would take candid shots of couples walking in the park, of mothers and their children in the grocery store. She'd always approach them to show the shot she took and would slip her handmade business card into their palm. If they wanted a copy, all they had to do was donate five-dollars to Forks Animal Shelter, where she walked dogs two days a week. Another hobby of hers.

More times than not, they paid for the picture, regardless of their double chin or slouching posture or less-than-perfect hair-do. "It's because I caught them in their moment," Renee would explain to me. "There isn't some wacko standing in front of them telling them to say 'cheese' and making them uncomfortable. Their smiles are genuine, _real_. There's a big difference, Bella."

Edward sighed, bringing me back to the present. "That's too bad. I'm _very_ photogenic."

"Is that so?" I picked up my camera and turned it on. "I guess I can _make an exception this once_. Strike a pose."

Edward gave me a sly smile before turning his body so it was parallel to the back of the booth, his back against the glass. He put both his feet on the seat, bent his knees, then turned his head to the right so he was gazing out the window. His left arm draped across the back of the booth, and the other ruffled his hair before wrapping around his mug. He looked straight out the window – or should I say _smoldered_ – then I found the perfect angle and snapped the picture.

I looked at the picture in the viewfinder, pleased with the results. The focus was all on him, and the rays of sunlight coming in from the window made him look almost ethereal. The colorful ink on his arms seemed to come to life. The exposure was a little high, but nothing a little editing wouldn't fix.

"Mind if I look?" Edward asked. I turned the camera so he could see, and he nodded. "That's amazing, Bella."

"It helps to have a good subject," I told him. "Where'd you learn to pose so well? Normally, when I tell someone I'm going to take their picture, they usually smile at the camera like an idiot or do some ridiculous pose. It's not very often I can find someone who poses so naturally."

He took another sip of his drink. "Let's just say I've had a lot of practice."

"Are you a model?" Lord knows he was good-looking enough to be. He looked like someone straight off the cover of GQ magazine, even in his casual clothes.

He shook his head. "Not exactly. That's actually one of the reasons why I wanted to talk to you. I … I haven't been completely honest about who I am."

 _Oh, God, what's he going to say?_

A hundred options ran through my mind, everything from ax murderer, wanted in several states, to married with kids.

I really hoped it wasn't the last one.

He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I'm Edward Masen, the guitar player, and keyboardist for Midnight Sun."

I nearly choked on my iced coffee.

 **A/N: Here is chapter five! Thank you all for being patient with me while I complete this story. My other story, As You Wish, is my main focus right now, with this story being written on the side. If you haven't already, go check out As You Wish. We're forty-something chapters in, and it should be completed soon.**

 **I want to say thank you to my lovely beta Fran, and to my friend Jan for pre-reading and brainstorming with me! You are both beyond amazing, and this story wouldn't be possible with you.**

 **Also, I was thinking of changing my pen-name. Would that be too confusing?**

 **Don't forget to review. Reviews make me smile!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Made for You**

 _Edward_

There. I'd said it. Now, I just had to wait for her verdict.

Step-one of my impromptu plan was gauging her actual interest in me by asking her out before I confessed who I was and how closely we would be working together this summer. She agreed to let me take her out, so that was good news for me. I just had to hope she wouldn't cancel, and make Charlie replace the band because of my less-than-honest attempt at getting with her.

Meanwhile, I instinctively reached under the booth to cup my goods in case she decided a foot to my balls would be fitting.

"You … you're in the band?" Her brows scrunched together in the middle of her forehead, her jaw locking in place. "How did I not know this …?" she whispered, seemingly to herself, her gaze darting back and forth on the table in front of her like she was trying to solve a math question in her head. I had to admit, her doe-eyed look was rather cute, and the red-hot blush that was working its way up her chest was fuck-hot. I had to remind myself to keep my eyes above her collarbone, and it was proving to be more difficult than expected… especially with the way her dress dipped in the front.

Breaking myself from my trance, I finally broke the silence that lingered after her question. "You clearly haven't done your research on Rebel's new house band, or you would have figured it out on Tuesday when we first met," I countered, taking another gulp of my lukewarm espresso. The caffeine pumping through my body had me buzzing from my head to my toes.

Or maybe it was Bella. She was still so beautiful, even when she was mad at me.

She glared at me. "Why didn't you tell me? You could have told me on Tuesday when we first met, and you could have told me last night at Bend. I gave you the damn Midnight Sun flyer, for crying out loud! I feel like a complete fool."

She was right. I had multiple occasions to tell her but chose not to because of my own selfish reasons.

But that's just what I did. I cared about my own needs first and neglected the needs of those around me. It always led to trouble, but I never seemed to learn my lesson.

"You lied to me, Edward."

"I did not _lie_. I … withheld information. There's a difference."

She rolled her eyes, unamused. "So, what? Was this some sick little bet you and your bandmates made? See who could fuck the owner's daughter first?"

"No, of course not," I told her, a little louder than necessary. A little softer, I said, "It wasn't anything like that, I swear."

"So how come you didn't you tell me sooner?" she pressed.

I sighed, rubbing my hand down my face and along my prickly jaw. "I don't know, Bella, maybe because it felt good to have you know me as just Edward for a little while? Not _Edward Masen from Midnight Sun_. As soon as most girls know I'm in a band, _that's_ what our conversation turns to. The band this, the band that… it's fucking exhausting. I can never tell if they're genuinely interested in me for _me_ , or if they're just interested in the fact I had a couple of songs on the radio."

She nodded throughout my little banter, a look of understanding coming over those beautiful chocolate brown eyes of hers. "I understand that Edward, I really do … but I'll have you know, I'm not like most girls."

I chuckled softly. "I've gathered that, Bella. Trust me." I had

"But I do, however," she continued, still glaring, "appreciate some honesty, Edward. If we… if we had slept together last night before I'd known I was going to have to face you four nights a week for the next three months … I don't know if I'd be able to look you in the eyes." She leaned forward on her elbows, and it was even harder for me to keep my eyes on hers when her tits were pushed together just so. I gulped, trying hard – _so_ hard – not to look. That would definitely earn me a jab to the nuts. "And you have very beautiful eyes." She paused for a moment, reaching down to lay her hand on my forearm. I think she liked watching me squirm, and she was doing a damn good job of eliciting that reaction from me. " _And_ I probably would have kicked you in the balls, just so we're clear on _that_. I'm actually still contemplating."

I crossed my legs, gulping hard. She smirked a little, no doubt at my obvious attempt to protect the goods.

"If you're so famous, how come no one has recognized you yet?"

Glancing around the crowded coffee shop, no doubt looking for someone who was eyeing me suspiciously, Bella tapped her nails on the table as she waited for my response. The barista behind the counter had been ogling me from her perch every time I came in since the move back. But everyone else seemed to be too caught up in their own lives to give a flying fuck about me or what I was doing.

"I'm not exactly what you would call _famous_ , Bella. For the most part, we manage to stay out of the tabloids and don't have paparazzi stalking our every move. Most people who recognize us are fans of the band, and we're not _that_ well known – not yet, anyway. Mostly Riley gets noticed because he's the lead singer – our Freddie Mercury if you will."

Her eyes snapped to mine suddenly. "You're a Queen fan?"

I nodded, but wasn't about to confess to the almost shrine-like memorial I'd kept in my bedroom back in North Carolina. "Diehard," I admitted. "Are you?"

"Isn't everyone?" she asked incredulously. She opened her mouth as if to say something else, but closed it just as fast and shook her head. "That's beside the point. We're getting off topic."

I had to hold back my chuckle by biting the inside of my cheek. I almost had her completely forget my indiscretions, even if only for a minute.

"Were you going to tell me? Or were you going to wait until I found out on my own, tonight?" she asked seriously, looking me straight in the eyes.

I reached forward, tentatively laying my hand on her arm. She glanced down to where I was touching her but didn't pull away and smack me. That was a point for me. I watched her eyes as they scanned the ink branding my forearm, her forehead pulling together between her brows as she dissected the colorful tattoos.

The sound of my voice broke her from the trance she was in, and she shook her head a little before finding my eyes. "I was going to tell you, I swear. I was going to find you today at the bar and come clean. I… I might be a bit of a dick, but I'm not a complete asshole, Bella." She gave me a dubious, unconvinced look, but I could still see a slight smirk on her lips. "You don't have to believe me, but it's the truth. Do what you want with it, but I still want to take you out. If, uh … if you want."

She sighed and seemed to contemplate something for a moment before she spoke once more. "I just keep remembering what you said to me last night ... That you don't date, you only fuck. Why the sudden change of heart?"

I opened my mouth, ready to tell her she was the most beautiful girl I'd ever laid my eyes on, when suddenly a guy with a camera slung around his neck came up to our table with a puzzled look on his face, his confused eyes on Bella. No doubt this was the friend she'd been meeting up with before we bumped into each other. She pulled her arm back like I'd burned her and shot me an apologetic look.

"Mike … hey."

"Hey. I was just stopping by to grab a coffee before we met up and I noticed you over here ... with …"

Her eyes awkwardly flickered back and forth from this Mike guy to me. "Um, Mike, this is Edward. Edward, this is my friend, Mike."

I stuck out my hand and grasped his firmly and confidently, just like Carlisle showed me how, and gave a swift nod of my head in his direction. He looked like a fucking hipster, wearing straight khaki pants and a polo shirt, a pair of thick, black-rimmed glasses perched on the bridge of his nose.

And the fucking guy was wearing loafers. I had to bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from laughing out loud.

"Do I know you?" Mike asked me suddenly, cocking his head to the side and looking at me with a finger pointed. "You look really familiar. You go to U-Dub?"

I shook my head. "I don't believe we've met before."

"Funny. I could swear I know you from somewhere…"

"No, man. I don't think so."

"Oh, uh … sorry." He turned back towards Bella. "You ready to go? I'm sorry I'm late, I was caught up in something that ended up taking longer than I thought it would."

"It's okay," she said, giving him a smile. "But … um, could you give us a minute? I won't be long. You can meet me by the door."

"Oh," Mike said, and he sounded uncertain, like he wasn't sure if he should leave Bella with me. "Yeah, no sweat. It was nice meeting you, Edward."

A nod. "Likewise."

Bella watched to make sure Mike was out of the coffee shop before she spoke. She shook around the ice in her empty cup. "Thanks again for the drink."

"Of course," I said, and she started to stand. "Hey, Bella?"

"Yeah?"

"You didn't answer my question. Can I still take you out on Monday?"

She sighed, her eyes cast down at her empty cup. I didn't take the fact that she couldn't look in my eyes as a good sign. "I don't think that's such a good idea anymore," she whispered, shaking her head and reclaiming her seat. My heart, which was beating wildly behind my ribcage, dropped to my stomach. "My dad and my brother are constantly at the bar, and I like to keep my work life and my private life … well, separate. As separate as they can be, anyway." She took a deep breath and let it out. "Having your band play at the bar this summer is really important for us, business-wise. We nearly sunk this winter, and we're really counting on Midnight Sun bringing in some much-needed business. I … I can't do anything to complicate that, Edward. Rebel means everything to my dad, and it would kill him if we lost it."

I knew what she was trying to say. Yeah, we could have our fun, go on a few dates and enjoy each other's company, but what if things didn't work out or ended badly? Would we be able to stand seeing each other four nights a week for the entire summer?

Probably not.

"You look like someone just kicked your puppy," Bella said, a little bit of amusement in her voice. "Not used to being turned down, Rockstar?"

I chuckled despite myself and took off my hat, grabbing at the front of my hair. "No, not really. This ... If I'm being honest, this sucks."

"You'll survive."

"Well, yeah, but ... will _you_?" I teased.

Perhaps I was hearing things, but I could have sworn I heard her mumble a "maybe" under her breath.

I stuck my hand out, and Bella looked at it, confused. "What do you say, Sunshine? Can we at least be friends?"

She let a giggle escape her lips and shook my hand. Hers was so small that mine totally enveloped hers, but they fit together perfectly. Shaking hands with someone you played tonsil hockey with was strange, but I had to do what I had to do to stay on Bella's good side.

"Friends," she agreed, nodding at me once before standing. "I'll see you tonight, Edward. I'm looking forward to seeing you guys play."

"Tonight," I confirmed.

I stayed put in my seat and watched through the window as Bella crouched down and pat Wolf's head before disappearing across the road with Mike.

It would be a lie to say I wasn't disappointed she turned down my offer for a date, but I had to keep looking at the positive side. Midnight Sun still had a summer gig. I couldn't imagine having to tell Carlisle I'd screwed it up, considering how hard it was for him to convince Aro and the other label heads that playing at some hole-in-the-wall bar would be better than the bigger shows Aro was hoping we would do. He agreed because we were finally going to be on stage again, even if it wasn't the huge stadiums he was hoping for.

Something was better than nothing, right?

Once my now-cold coffee was finished, I grabbed Wolf and headed back to my apartment. I opened the door using my passcode and made a beeline for the fridge. I was starving from my conversation with Bella, and cigarettes could only numb my hunger for so long.

"Are you humming right now?"

I nearly dropped the fucking carton of eggs on the floor at the sudden sound of Seth's voice booming through the air. He was sitting at the breakfast bar alone, and I hadn't even noticed him until he spoke. The fucker. I suppose this was what I got for giving each band member my passcode to my apartment to use as they please.

I threw the eggs on the counter and reached under the island for a frying pan. "Am I what? No?"

"You were so."

"Was not."

"Were so."

"Was fucking not."

My front door opened and closed, causing Seth and me to look. "Will you boys quit your bickering, for the love of God," Alice moaned as she walked into the kitchen and threw down her purse. "I swear, my three-year-old doesn't talk back that much."

Seth and I chuckled at my sister as I threw my arm around her shoulders and pulled her in for a side hug. "Nice to see you, too, sis," I teased her. "No Luca?"

Alice pulled out a chair next to Seth and sat down. "He's still at Chelsea's. She's gonna keep him for a sleepover so I can check out your gig." She sighed. "I just finished handing out resumes."

"Oh, yeah? Where did you apply?" Seth asked, glancing at me briefly before looking back to my sister.

"Everywhere within walking distance from my apartment," she confessed. "I could apply for jobs farther away, but then I'd have to drive. Seattle morning traffic _sucks_ , and I'd have to get Luca up that much earlier. Hopefully, I'll be able to snag something close."

Alice was left Tyler's black Mercedes when he died, but she had it shipped back home to North Carolina. She couldn't even look at it without bursting into tears. Tyler's parents now stored it in their garage, and Alice continued to drive her little car.

It sucked that Alice had to work, but I understood her need for getting out of the house and doing something productive. She wasn't used to looking at the same four walls every day. She almost always traveled with the band, accompanied us to nearly every venue, and crammed herself and Luca next to Tyler in the back bed of our tour bus. She would hang backstage with Luca until it was time for him to sleep, and then she'd slip out to the bus for the rest of our show. It wasn't easy having a baby with us on the road, but we made it work. Luca became one of the boys.

The thought of not having Alice with the band twisted my gut. Then a thought flooded through my brain.

"Come to work with the band," I said as I took a few eggs out of the carton and cracked them into a mixing bowl. Alice and Seth both quirked an eyebrow at me. "You can... be my assistant or something. I'll pay you more than you'd earn at some minimum wage job."

"Edward just wants you to be his bitch," Seth laughed. "'Alice, fetch me a coffee! Alice, make me a dentist appointment!' I can just see it now," Seth teased, laughing at his own joke. I just shook my head at him as I poured my eggs into the pan.

"I wouldn't be that bad," I said. "But seriously, Al, it _could_ work. Carlisle would probably love the extra help, especially since he's promoting our first album while I'm ... working on the second."

She seemed to think about it for a moment before she shrugged and said, "Maybe. It _does_ sound tempting ... I don't want to be away from the band. I haven't ... I haven't been away from the band since the moment it started. Not for long periods of time. The longest I was away was the six months after Luca was born." Seth and I didn't miss the melancholy tone to her words. Alice was, without a doubt, the backbone to the band. It was actually Alice who ran our official Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages, updating our fans with pictures and tidbits about our lives. When we toured last year, she kept everyone up to date on where we would be performing and where to get tickets.

"Speaking of the band … Where are the rest of the guys?" Alice inquired suddenly.

"Riley was in the shower when I left the apartment, and Garrett was still snoozing off his killer hangover - I saw that groupie he was wrapped around last night leave our apartment just before noon, true walk-of-shame style. I'm pretty sure she only had one shoe."

I nodded, moving around the eggs using a spatula. Seth, Riley, and Garrett shared an apartment a few floors below me, choosing to save a shit ton of money by rooming together instead of separately. Getting my own apartment was a necessity for me. I needed a place that was quiet for when I wrote music - if I would ever be able to write again - and the spare bedroom was used to house my piano and multiple guitars. Not only that, but the constant flow of groupies coming and going between Riley and Garrett would irk the fucking shit out of me. I liked my privacy.

"Speaking of which, how was _your_ groupie last night? The one I caught you practically dry-humping in the alley?" Seth asked, and my eyes nearly bugged out of my head. Alice was like one of the guys, and sometimes my bandmates forgot she was also my sister. My sister, who didn't need or _want_ to hear about my escapades.

"First of all," I warned, "Bella is _not_ a groupie. Second of all, mind your own business."

Seth put his hands up in surrender. "Since when did you start caring about kissing and telling, Eddie-boy?" Seth laughed exuberantly, earning himself a death-glare and a swat to the stomach from Alice. "Jesus, Alice, _ow_!"

"You deserved that one," Alice grumbled.

"Since right now," I ground out between clenched teeth.

Next to me, Alice sighed deeply and suddenly got very serious. "I thought you were done with that fucking shit, Edward. Turning a new leaf and leaving that playboy persona behind. That's not you. It's never been you."

I wanted to change. It was my intention, but it was easier said than done. How easily I was willing to rip Bella's clothes off was proof of that, and I hated myself for it.

"Bella and I didn't hook up," I told them honestly.

Alice gave me a pointed look. "Bella, huh? You're using her first name," Alice noted, looking pointedly at me. "You don't ever remember their names. Not since... well, you know who."

I knew who she was talking about - Makenna fucking Ford. My stomach turned. I couldn't believe I had been so stupid as to fucking call her last night when things with Bella didn't go as planned. No matter what had or hadn't happened between us, the fact that I'd even dialed her number and showed up at her place made me sick to my stomach. I could have gotten into a lot of trouble, trouble I didn't need right now. Or ever again for that matter.

Seth shuddered dramatically. "Ugh, I still can't believe you dipped your wick in her."

I plated my eggs, but suddenly had no appetite. I pushed them towards Seth.

"From what I saw of that Bella chick, she's way hotter than Makenna. More natural, less fillers and silicone. Makenna is practically a walking, talking Barbie doll." He paused to eat a forkful of food, and swallowed. "Are you gonna see her again?"

"We're all gonna be seeing a lot of Bella. She works at Rebel – she's Charlie's daughter."

Alice gasped, and Seth's eyes nearly bugged straight out of his damn head.

"Edward, man, you've _gotta_ ask her out," Seth chimed, nearly shaking with excitement.

I shook my head, defeated. "Yeah, well, I did … and she turned me down," I admitted.

"You, Edward freakin' Masen, were turned down? That's a first! Quick, Alice, write this in his baby book," Seth said with a mouthful of food. "It's usually _you_ doing the turning down, not the other way around."

"Chew and swallow, Seth, chew and swallow," Alice said, patting Seth's back. She turned to me. "Tell us what happened and start from the beginning."

So I did.

I told them all about going to Rebel on Tuesday, seeing Bella being practically mauled by that asshole James, and then waiting for her to close, so I knew she got home safe. Then I told them about seeing Bella again last night at Bend, how we danced and flirted with each other. I explained that when I saw the fans pointing at us on the dance floor, I wanted to get her out of there as fast as possible so my cover wasn't blown, so I took her out to the alley to smoke a joint, and my fucking, raging hormones got the better of me. Seth chimed in then, saying how he interrupted us when he came looking for my help with Garrett. I left out the part about Garrett's coke use, because I didn't want to upset Alice. Then, finally, I explained what happened this afternoon while I was having a smoke, and Wolf literally jumped on Bella, and our subsequent visit and conversation at Coffee Works.

"At least she agreed to be friends, and didn't make her dad fire you on the spot," Alice quipped with a shake of her head.

"Exactly," I agreed.

Once Seth was finished eating, I made my way into the shower to freshen up for the rest of the day. We still had a lot to do before we went on stage at nine. Carlisle wanted us to head to the studio at three to go over the list of songs we were going to be performing, and to have one final practice. He had already arranged for the guys who were setting up the stage to do the soundcheck for us, but wanted us to go and formally introduce ourselves to the employees at Rebel. We'd already met Charlie Swan last week at a meeting, when he signed the contract to have us play.

The hot water worked wonders on my stiff muscles, and I felt immensely better by the time I got out. Garrett and Riley had shown up and were playing Rock Band with Seth while Alice stood in front of two outfits she had laid out on my recliner, a finger on her chin as she swiveled her eyes back and forth between the two.

"I'm thinking this one for tonight," Alice declared when I approached her. She thrust the gray jeans, white T-shirt, and black leather vest into my hands. "Wear this with your Docs, not your Converse. I'd tell you to run a brush through your hair, but you and I both know that isn't going to happen."

I bit back my chuckle and nodded. "Duly noted, Al. Thanks." I turned toward the rest of the band, who were luckily just finishing up their game. "You assholes ready to go? Practice starts at three, and then, Carlisle wants us at Rebel to meet the staff." I hated to admit it, but I was nervous about seeing Bella again. Would it be awkward? Probably. Actually, most definitely, but I was just going to have to just bite the damn bullet and get over it.

Alice left to go check on Luca, telling us she would see us all later tonight, and the guys and I loaded into my Audi and headed east towards the studio. Carlisle met us at the door and led us into a conference room, where we began to discuss the songs we would perform. We decided to play mostly originals from our first album, with a few covers scattered about for those in the audience who weren't familiar with us. Once we were satisfied with our choices, we filed into the Live Area to start our practice. We'd already jammed together a few times since being back in Seattle and had actually managed to play together a lot while we were home in North Carolina. Tonight, however, would be our first night performing together in front of an actual audience, on an actual stage, as a united band.

It would also be the first time performing on a stage without Tyler, but I was trying my hardest not to think about that.

I took my spot on the right of the stage, with Riley in the middle, Garrett behind us, and Seth to the left. Picking up the guitar and plucking and strumming at the strings came so naturally to me. I lost myself in the music reverberating through the room. I only wished that writing new music would still come as organically as it used to, but I pushed those thoughts to the back of my mind, closed my eyes, and played.

Our practice went great. Riley's vocals were on point, and Seth did a terrific job. Garrett made a few minor mistakes, which he thankfully managed to correct without making us all look like idiots. We went through the songs twice, finalized the harmonies, and then Carlisle ordered pizza for us to eat before we headed over to Rebel.

My stomach was in knots.

 **Made for You**

 _Bella_

The afternoon I'd spent photographing with Mike went just like every other one, except for the fact I'd been completely distracted by what Edward had told me about him being a part of our new house band. I'd barely responded to Mike as he droned on and on about Jessica Stanley, a girl he'd met at a photography workshop in Tacoma. I would just nod and offer a "yeah" or "mhm" whenever I thought it was necessary.

The more I thought about Edward, a lot of things made sense.

Like his hesitation when I asked for his name; the way he watched my face to see if I'd recognized his name, and the relief I saw there when he realized I didn't.

The girls who were pointing at us while we danced were, without a doubt in my mind, fans of his waiting for the perfect opportunity to approach. That was why he whisked me away to the alley so quickly.

Why it was so important for him to help his inebriated friend before he made a fool out of the whole band and inevitably ended up online.

It also explained why he was undoubtedly one of the most photogenic people I'd ever met.

I understood where he was coming from when he said it was hard to tell if someone was interested in him for him or just because he was in a band. I couldn't imagine having to wonder if the friendships I'd made were because they liked being around me, or simply because they thought I had something greater to offer them.

I didn't want to have to cancel our date. When he asked, I was actually looking forward to going out with a guy like Edward.

"Bella, are you even listening to me?"

I shook my head of my thoughts and trained my eyes on Mike, forcing a smile through my tight lips as we continued on the walking trail, cameras in hand. "Sorry, I zoned out for a minute. You were saying?"

"I asked Jessica out, like, on a date. Tonight," Mike told me, and I could see the blush spreading across his face. I don't think I had ever seen Mike blush before. He must have really liked this girl. "She said yes."

I hip-checked him and gave him my best smile. "That's great, Mike! Is she into photography, too?"

Mike nodded. "Mostly portrait. She likes to do weddings, and she has a small studio in the spare bedroom of her apartment where she does newborn and family photoshoots. You should see some of her work - she's really good." He paused, our pace slowing. "You're not … upset?"

I pulled my eyebrows together. "Why would I be … Oh. Oh!" I shook my head vehemently. Mike was worried I'd be upset we could no longer hook up since he was now seeing someone. "God, no, Mike. We had an agreement. It was just sex, nothing else. Besides, it's … been a while." Mike chuckled a little, and I playfully shoved him. We hadn't hooked up in over two months, our schedules clashing and only allowing us to meet on Saturdays. "I'm happy for you," I added sincerely. It was the truth. Mike was a good guy.

"Thanks, Bella," he said. "I'm trying to think of a place to take her. Dinner and a movie seem too overdone. Besides, how can you get to know someone sitting in a damn theatre for two hours?"

An idea sprung to my mind. "Take her to Rebel; I'd love to meet her. Midnight Sun's first performance is tonight, remember?"

"That could work," Mike mused. He suddenly snapped his fingers, his eyes wide. " _That's_ where I know that guy from! He's in the band, right? The drummer? What's his name… Edwin? Edmond?"

"Edward," I corrected. My stomach clenched. "And he plays guitar and keyboard, not the drums."

"Right. I knew I knew him from somewhere. Ang is obsessed - the poster for their first album is on her bedroom wall." Angela was Mike's little sister, a year or so younger than me. I'd met her a couple of times in passing at Mike's, and she seemed sweet. "She doesn't turn twenty-one for another few weeks, but she's been talking about going to Rebel to see them play. Think you could hook me up with some autographs? She'll lose her mind."

"I can try," I told him. "I don't see why I wouldn't be able to."

"You seemed pretty cozy with Edward at Coffee Works," Mike noted, raising an eyebrow at me. So he _had_ seen Edward's hand on my arm.

"We were discussing … business." He didn't have to know it was personal business we were talking about.

"Where was the rest of the band?" he implored.

I shrugged. "Busy."

"Hmm."

Mike gave me a look that told me he wasn't completely convinced, but didn't say anything else. We were coming to the end of the trail now, the parking lot in view. I could see Mike's little red Kia nestled between two big trucks.

"Get any good shots?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. Lots. The flowers are all bloomed now, and the colors are so bright." I turned my camera back on and showed him a few I'd taken of a huge rose bush, and another couple I'd taken of a beautiful magnolia tree.

"Very nice," Mike noted, nodding approvingly. "Well, I guess I'll see you tonight. Later, Bella."

"See ya."

Mike went one way, and I went another. I needed a nap and a shower before what was definitely going to be a long night at work

~0~

I thought of a million reasons I could give my dad to explain my absence from work, but nothing seemed feasible since I was perfectly fine when I spoke to him on the phone when I got home earlier. And he needed me, whether I wanted to be there or not. I couldn't let him down. He was practically vibrating through the phone with excitement when he called to tell me the band's crew were downstairs setting up their equipment and completing soundcheck.

Besides, Edward was going to be at the bar four nights a week, all summer long. I knew there was no point in trying to avoid him. I'd have to face him eventually, so might as well just rip the Band-aid off and get it over with.

Awkwardness be damned.

I could hear the racket coming from downstairs as I busied myself getting ready for work, taking my time with my hair and makeup. I glanced out my window to see Emmett and Paul unloading the supply truck, hauling in cases of Michelob and Heineken, bottles of Patron and Glenfiddich and Blue Curacao. Rose was standing with a clipboard in her hand, ticking off the inventory as they loaded everything into the supply room. Charlie had ordered extra of _everything_ , so I hoped business was going to be as good as expected.

I stood in front of my closet in nothing but my bra and underwear, perusing my clothes for something nice to wear tonight. I tried to tell myself I didn't want to look nice for Edward, but the truth was, I liked the way he looked at me. It was insane how physically attracted to him I was, but you'd have to be blind not to be. Turning down his date offer sucked, but I had to look at the bigger picture. We needed Midnight Sun, and I couldn't do anything to fuck that up. Keeping away seemed like the right thing to do … kind of. My hormones were telling me otherwise.

I was about to say screw it and toss on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, when a scrap of yellow fabric caught my eye from the hamper of clean clothes. I pulled out the sundress, rubbing the soft cotton between my fingers.

 _Bingo_.

By the time I got downstairs, a little after six, Rose was back inside with Maggie, wiping down the tables and bar and preparing for the mass of customers bound to show. I didn't expect it to get busy until after seven, when people were coming in to get a bite to eat and snag good seats before the band started.

I began working alongside them, loading up the beer cooler that lined the back of the bar.

"The band was here earlier, Bella, and you missed them! Your dad wanted to go upstairs and wake you, but Rose convinced him that you wouldn't want to meet them with your crazy bedhead." She giggled, then fanned herself with her hand. "They introduced themselves to us," Maggie gushed as she polished a bottle of Goldschlager. "And oh my God, Riley is even hotter in person than in pictures. I didn't even think it would be possible!"

I gulped, hard, and looked over to Rose. She gave me a knowing look and kept busy polishing a beer mug. _Shit_. Edward was here, and she obviously recognized him as the guy I was grinding on the night before.

Maggie continued to gush about the band and how amazing they were while she shined a bottle just so. I kept myself busy, and breathed a sigh of relief when Emmett called her to help him with something in the back.

I could tell Rose was looking at me, but I kept my gaze down as I counted the money from the register. When I did finally look up, Rose was standing with her arms folded over her chest, her hip jutted out, and one perfectly sculpted eyebrow risen just so. It was a look I'd seen her give my brother countless times, and I hated being on the receiving end of it.

"When were you planning on telling me that Hottie McHotterson was some up-and-coming, hotshot rockstar?"

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I let it out, laid both hands flat on the bar in front of me, and turned my head to lock eyes with my best friend. "Because I didn't know, Rosalie. I just found out this afternoon, and only because I happened to run into Edward and his dog on the way to meet Mike."

"Damn."

"Tell me about it," I whispered. "He asked me on a date, but I told him no. Well … I told him yes, and then took it back."

"Isabella Marie Swan! Why the hell would you do that? Have you gone blind? Or stupid? Or … both?"

"No, but think about it. Guys like Edward don't do the whole dating thing, and we need the business. I can't let myself get tangled up in someone like him. It won't end well, and then the bar will suffer. I don't know what I was thinking when I agreed to go out with him."

"God, you're always so pessimistic. After what happened with Jake – "

"Rose," I warned. She was treading water now, and she knew it. I hated talking about what happened between Jake and me, mostly because I'd been blindsided by what caused us to break up, and was left heartbroken and torn to shreds.

"No, Bella, listen to me. After what happened with you and Jake, you refuse to open yourself up to anyone. Not everyone is going to turn out to be someone you thought they weren't. At least Edward was honest with you in the end and didn't just show up tonight, knowing you'd be here. Why can't you just give this a shot? Go out with him, see what happens. You might be surprised."

"Or I might be disappointed again."

"See! That's what I'm talking about. You're never going to realize what's out there – _who's_ out there – if you keep up with that attitude. Go out with him, see what happens."

"But then there's my dad, and Emmett …"

Rose waved her hand dismissively. "I'll handle Emmett. He recognized Edward, but he kept his mouth shut because your dad was around. And speaking of your dad, I wouldn't worry too much about him. He's so happy they agreed to play here that they could turn out to be criminals and he'd still love them."

I doubted that was true, because Charlie's time as the Chief of Police back in Forks made him hate anyone who broke the law. But I understood what Rose was trying to say. Charlie wanted the band come hell or high water because he wanted to keep my mom's memory alive inside of Rebel.

I kept thinking about what Rose said as we continued to prepare for the night. Maybe she was right. Maybe I was just bitter and scorned over what happened with Jake and me that I was too afraid to open myself up to someone else. Maybe I needed a hot date with a guy like Edward, even if just to remind myself that there was more out there for me than Jacob Black.

And if things didn't work out, then whatever. I was twenty-one years old, and more than capable of acting civilly towards Edward should everything crash and burn. A date wouldn't hurt. Right?

Right.

 **A/N: Here is chapter six! As always, a HUGE thank you to my pre-reader Jan, and to Fran for being an awesome beta!**

 **Also, Fran is holding a contest since Robert Pattinson is the new Batman! It's called Twilight Fanfiction Crime Crusaders on Facebook, and the link is:** groups/364646141068423/


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